Lego House
by gablaar
Summary: "What the hell happened to you?" "How long have you got?" This wasn't supposed to happen. Kurt wasn't supposed to want to know the new kid. He was supposed to get the Hell out of dodge with Quinn and Puck, not fall for a kid like Blaine Anderson. (Cover picture is from the lovely atthefootofthishill on tumblr)
1. Disclaimer

Doing a disclaimer now because I know I'll forget to always add one in so.  
I sadly own nothing. The only thing I own is the plot-line and a really shitty bike. I am getting nothing out of this other than pleasure of writing and creating a little story that wouldn't leave my head. I'm still a skint student who survives on Beans and Toast.


	2. Chapter 1

"Kurt, Kurt seriously!"

"Huh?" Kurt's eyes shot up from peering across the top of his sunglasses to his best friend. Quinn raised one eyebrow at him, smirking around her cigarette.

"You're staring again."

"I was not." Kurt's eyes narrowed at his pink haired companion before flicking back to the previous object of his attention. Flushing a pale pink when Quinn snorted.

"Say it again...maybe this time I'll believe you."

Stubbing out his own cigarette (he'd reached the filter some time ago without even smoking it) before lighting another one and taking a slow drag then deliberately blowing smoke rings in Q's face,_Kurt pretended he hadn't heard her_, lips twitching at her scrunched nose.

"Why don't you just fucking talk to him?" She sat down on the ratty couch she'd somehow conned Coach Sylvester into getting them (he didn't ask, just nodded thanks cause it sure as hell beats sitting on the ground). Sighing he kicked off of the fence opposite and threw himself down next to her, feet kicked up over the arm, beanie clad purple streaked head in her lap.

"I wasn't staring at the nerd." Closing his eyes behind the retro Raybans covering them he settled back into Quinn's lap, letting her run her fingers through the sections of hair not covered by his hat. Not many people could get away with touching his hair. He was pretty sure it was only his dad and her now that his mom was gone.

"Ohhh, right my mistake, you were just staring at Rachel. Got it, got it. So, you tryna be straight again or what?"

Kurt reached up to tug on one of short brightly coloured locks. She bit his finger in retaliation and flicked the bell bar in his eyebrow. "Jesus - you treat Puck like this in bed?"

"You really want to hear about what me and Puck do in bed or do you want to tell me about why you're staring at Bowtie and not talking to him?" She stole his Raybans so unfortunately was able to see when his traitorous eyes flicked over to the boy in question sitting in between Rachel and Brittany seemingly in rapt attention to the blonde. "Kurt, c'mon talk to me."

This time she lightly tugged the plug in his left ear until he looked at her. "Hey, who else are you going to rant to?"

Grudgingly he had to admit she had a point. Quinn would understand. She would know where he was coming from. She was also, as of mid way through Junior year, the only person he trusted and let in.

"Okay, I was staring at the new kid - "

"Breaking news."

"Do you want me to tell you or not?" Kurt glared up at her, not buying the sweet innocent smile for one second. "Look, I was staring...maybe. Just a little bit, but c'mon Quinn, who says he's even gay?"

Quinn snorted before breaking into a light chuckle, her nose scrunching up a teeny bit pulling the steel ring up and brightening her eyes, "Baby, he practically screams it. Look at his clothes, hell look at his ass - we both know you have been so don't give me that look, you'll get premature wrinkles...Plus Puck was over last night, said "some new gay kid joined glee". Which he wants us to go back too by the way." Q rolled her eyes before prodding Kurt sharply on the nose.

"Jesus woman, stop with the violence! Look, he's hot, but from what I've seen and heard ridiculously polite and lovely." He frowned over in the new kid's directions, idly noticed that it wasn't just the two girls but the whole Glee club he was sitting with, before snuggling further down into Quinn's lap.

"And those are completely bad qualities in a person. Yep, totally get your point. Damn, if only he were a complete asshole! Whatever will you do, crushing on a cute nice boy and not a dick!"

"Har har, look, he's clearly that kind of person who helps little old ladies cross the street and he probably steps out of peoples way even if they were the ones who should move. Point is Q, I'm not. No point talking to him, gay or not, cause I would rather not be proved right in that he is too good for me. I'd rather drown in denial so please let me?"

The warning bell for the end of their lunch break sounded, thankfully they were the only two Skanks who had this break today, Kurt didn't feel the need to let the other girls know everything about him, neither did Quinn and frankly neither did they. Standing up and stretching Kurt fiddled with his tongue bar, sneaking one last peek at the boy now standing across the field arms linked with Brittany, before hauling Quinn up and slinging his arm across her shoulder.

"I'm coming over tonight after you're done with work. You can cook me dinner or something." Her bare arm slipped around his waist, squeezing his hip through his ripped grey v-neck and grabbing a handful of it. "C'mon, let's go sleep in History. Well, I'll sleep and you'll not stare at new boy."

"For fuck sake Q."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you weren't staring."

History, thankfully if one of the classes that Kurt can easily cost by in, yet still get As. It's one of the reasons the teacher doesn't care quite as much if he and Quinn don't always show up...or that sometimes when they do they don't necessarily take part. This is the second lesson he's been to since school started back up, which is probably why it's a bit of a shock to see the new kid - the one he was definitely not staring at during lunch - sitting in the desk in front of him and Q.

Something that does not escape Quinn's notice going by the sharp jab she gives his hip as they walk to the back corner. Her random prodding didn't stop until her phone buzzed ten minutes into the lesson causing her face to darken and phone roughly shoved towards Kurt. "You can stay at mine tonight."

Quinn sighed and secured her signature 'fuck off and die' look before leaning over to rest against Kurt's left side, head on his shoulder. "Thank you."

Kurt dropped a quick kiss to his friend's bubblegum hair before turning his eyes to the white board at the front, zoning in and out while he doodled on his notebook and did not stare at the back of the new kids head, _Blaine_, according to their teacher. Blaine who despite clearly being a massive nerd seemed to be able to smile every time Kurt had caught sight of him. Like a God damned puppy.

Kurt didn't deny he found the boy attractive, he was a skank sure but he wasn't stupid. The kid was almost offensively good looking. And kind, and happy all the time and so far undetermined in terms of sexuality. Because Kurt would not, repeat not, crush on another straight guy ever again...unless they were Johnny Depp, but honestly no one is immune to Johnny Depp. So for now he kept to sneaking peaks whenever he had the smallest chance of being caught.


	3. Chapter 2

It always amused Kurt how surprised Finn had been when he first came to the garage and realised that when Kurt said he worked for his dad, that didn't mean hauled up in the office doing paperwork. He did do that sometimes if only because Burt was terrible at it. Even now that Finn had started working for his dad on the odd day as well he still seemed shocked that Kurt was just as good as the full time mechanics; the fact that Kurt grew up around cars and spent hours in here 'playing mechanic' and being taught everything there was to know about cars since he could hold his own head up seemed irrelevant to Finn.

Oddly enough it was Puck who was the only one out of his old glee club who didn't even have a moment of surprise. Even before Kurt's appearance slowly began to alter (i.e. before he started punching holes into his body and inking it) Puck and Kurt developed an odd friendship back at the start of Junior year. Kurt'd fix his truck slightly cheaper than normal and pretend to not be revolted by his in depth stories about his conquests. In return Puck, well Puck treated him like normal and sometimes dropped by when Kurt was working just to hang.

That was a year ago and Kurt, despite how much Puck annoys him sometimes is glad for it. They're not close, but in the wise words of Noah Puckerman, they're "bros man, we got each others back." Finn might be crap in terms of 'brotherly love' but Puck, Puck is someone he knows he can ring for a lift home at three am no questions asked. And according to said boy Kurt was the perfect bro simply because he didn't have a girlfriend for Puck to help cheat.

Kurt was so used to seeing Puck around the garage while he fixed someone's car that it felt weird not having him hovering and going on and on about Super Mario Brothers. But it did mean he got almost double the work done (and considering the amount he did do normally on his shift that was impressive), but it also meant he had time to think.

About _Blaine_.

The new boy with the spectacular ass.

And overly gelled hair, but still, a really amazing rear end.

Who he did not stare at. He might occasionally admire the boy's love of stupidly bright coloured trousers that bared his ankles. Plus, he was allowed to admire from afar especially if they were as beautiful as _Blaine_. He'd even caught the other boy occasionally glancing at him the last few days, the first time was with Rachel on his arm, so God knows what she told him, and his looks weren't easy to decipher. Kurt had no fucking way of telling if they were good looks, lustful looks or the ones he was more accustomed to around school. The ones that said _Hummel and Fabray went of the deep end man._

Shaking his head to get rid of thoughts about the new kid (_unfairly hot new kid_) Kurt slammed the hood down of the battered old Jag he was working on for old Mr Robinson on their block. Kurt patted the faded racing green hood; the poor car was wasted on the old man - he couldn't even drive it. Kurt wasn't complaining really, he got paid well to maintain the beauty but he would give his left arm (not his right, that's vital to his life) for a car like this.

"Dad! I'm done for today, going home!"

"Okay! Finn's at Rachel's and me and Carol are going on a date tonight. Quinn coming over or something?" Burt's baseball clad head popped up from the other side of the shop.

"Yeah, her dad's in town again. Told me I'm cooking her dinner."

Burt shook his head fondly, "That girl..." He had to hand it to his dad, he might not like some of the things Kurt did now (smoking and body modification), but he took it all in stride - as long as Kurt was happy (relatively), safe and didn't get himself into too much trouble Burt pretty much stayed out of it. Sometimes anyway.

Kurt waved to his dad over his shoulder as he grabbed his shit from the office and climbed into his car. Only Carole's car was on the drive when he pulled up, hopefully he would have time to shower before Q showed up banging on his door demanding food and shelter. Taking the stairs two at a time he said a quick hello to Carole before running to his room, stripping off and darting back the bathroom for a much needed shower to get the grease from his body.

Showers, Kurt decided, after work, hell whenever, were the best fucking things on the planet. Especially after he'd been at work. Sighing Kurt stuck his head under the jet, eyes closed, and let the hot water pour over him.

Evidently he stayed in the shower far too long because when he strolled back into his bedroom, in just his boxers, Quinn was sitting cross-legged on his bed, Beth in her lap who let out a happy squeal at the sight of Kurt.

"Coulda put some clothes on." Quinn grinned slyly up at him, eyes unashamedly roving over his body. "It tickles me that you have a six pack that more than half the football team would kill for without playing any sports."

Glaring at the older Fabray before poking his pierced tongue out at the younger Kurt ignored that. "Coulda waited for me to let you in." Rolling his eyes he quickly pulled on some of his comfy jeans and a looser v-neck t-shit before running some product through his hair - he'd do his face later before he went to bed.

"Beth was getting fussy so I used your spare key you gave me 'for emergencies'; don't tell me a crying toddler isn't an emergency."

Ignoring his friend completely Kurt reached over to pluck the wiggly baby from her lap, lifting her high into the air and spinning her around. "You're not fussy are you Beth?"

"NO!"

"Oh yeah, she learnt a new word." Quinn pulled her 'I'm-not-happy-she-says-it-but-she's-far-too-cute' smile as she watched Kurt lift the baby above his head before pretending to drop her, causing the little girl to scream with laughter over and over. "Pucks darling little sister is going through a difficult phase according to his mother, apparently Beth has picked up on Auntie Sarah's new favourite thing to say hasn't she?"

Beth turned her attention from the purple in Kurt's hair to her mother when the last part of her speech was directed towards the toddler. She smiled toothlessly at Quinn before nuzzling into Kurt's chest, chubby fingers clutching at the tattoo visible on his bicep. She had a fascination with it. Kurt said it was because she could see it, Quinn said it was because she liked pretty things; "Just like you hot stuff."

"Looks like you and Puck are going to have fun for the next few days then!" After catching sight of his clock from the corner of his eye he added, "any idea what you two would like for dinner?"

"She's just stopped teething again, got any solid food that's baby friendly?"

They decided on pasta, bolognaise for them and a plain cheese and tomato one for Beth, who sat in Kurt's old high chair (fuck knows why his dad kept it but luckily it somehow made it to the new house last year as Quinn and Beth were frequent guests in the Hudmel house), banging on upside down Tupperware containers with a wooden spoon and her hand. Every now and again she'd get their attention by shouting one of the few words she knew.

By the time they were both sitting at the table with her Beth had grown thoroughly bored of her makeshift drum kit and was about to start moaning when her bowl of pasta was shoved in front of her, Quinn alternating between eating her own and feeding her daughter...who got more sauce around her face and clothes than in her mouth but seemed to love it all the same.

"Okay, bath time for you baby." Beth giggled happily making grabby-hands at Quinn as she stood up to take her upstairs.

By the time Kurt had cleared the table and sat down to watch some TV Finn got home and Beth was clearly in the bath judging by all the happy squealing and splashing going on upstairs.

"Oh, hey dude...take it Quinn's here."

Kurt nodded mutely, he didn't really talk to Finn about his ex-girlfriend turned Kurt's best friend. Taking pity on his awkward looking step-brother and holding back a smirk he gestured to the space next to him on the sofa. Finn was well and truly over Quinn now, but he seemed to still find it excruciatingly awkward to be in prolonged exposure to his ex and the baby he'd thought was his. Though _how_ he though Beth was his still baffles Kurt to this day; it probably always will.

While he did feel for Finn to some degree, and not so much that he ever let on that he sympathised with the taller teen, Kurt didn't care enough to stop letting the two girls spend the majority of their time here. It's not his fault Finn was stupid enough to buy the hot tub story and definitely not his problem that Puck and Q slept together and ended up pregnant. He's not going to stop hanging out with two of the people he cares most about for Finn Hudson of all people. The boy who called him a fag in his own bedroom. He could suck it the fuck up for all he cared.

The two boys sat there in an almost painfully tense silence, Friends occupying the TV, before Quinn came downstairs with a now clean and damp Beth. She nodded to Finn and said a quick hi, before passing Beth off to Kurt and going out the front door.

"Where's she going?"

"She's gone to get the travel cot for Beth from her car."

"Is that even, like, comfy for her all night?"

"Nope, she can deal with it for a while, but she'll end up waking up and wanting to get in bed with us at some point."

Finn watched with an almost dumbstruck expression as Beth drank from a bottle of milk and leant back against Kurt's chest, her other pudgy hand gripping the arm he wound around her tummy and teddy bear, while he played with her blonde curls. "For God's sake Finn, what?"

"It's weird that's all."

Kurt narrowed his eyes, and being careful to keep his voice calm so as to not upset Beth turned his head more towards Finn "what exactly is weird?"

"You're...ya know, gay and like..."

"I'd think very carefully about what you're about to say Finn, cause I won't kick your ass right now but I will the moment she's not on my lap."

"No, dude, I meant, like you and Quinn act like a couple! More like a couple than we did and we actually were one!"

"Well Finn, that's because I'm his platonic girlfriend. Everything but the sex!" Quinn's sharp voice came from the doorway, infamous glare on her face as she stared down the younger boy. Kurt sniggered into Beth's hair at the sight of the six foot three quarterback almost cowering at the sight of the other skank. "Kurt, baby, let's go be out fabulous married selves upstairs shall we?"

Still sniggering to himself Kurt stood up, traded sleepy baby for the cot, and followed Quinn back to his room, pulling faces at Beth as she peaked over Quinn's shoulder. "You do realise," he started once his door was shut and he began to set up the cot "that he won't get that and is probably on the phone to Rachel right now about us dating right?"

"Screw him; he doesn't get to judge our friendship. Look at his actual relationship. Fucking Finn probably thinks we really do have sex just cause we share a bed when I crash here."

Beth seemed to sense her mother's mood and leant into her shoulder to play sleepily played with Quinn's pink locks, another thing that endlessly amused the eighteen month old. Quinn sighed, dropped a kiss to Beth's forehead and scowled at Kurt. "Screw everybody."

"I'd really rather not; you never know what you might catch." She smiled grudgingly at his poor joke as he finished with the cot. Beth finished her bottle and held it out for Kurt to put down on his desk, "Thank you sweetie," and snuggled further into Quinn's side, thumb now firmly in place of the bottle, teddy bear looking squeezed to death in her arms.

He got ready for bed, stripping his jeans so he could sleep in his top while Quinn was here (she didn't give a fuck but he did, and he threw out all his pyjamas before the summer holidays) and starting his face regime, something he refused to give up despite his new look, while Quinn sung a hushed lullaby to the baby until she fell asleep enough to move her into the cot.

Kurt kept his back to them while Quinn stroked the baby's curls. "I hate him."

"I know."

"I hate her too."

Still with his back to her, but eyes following her in the mirror, watching her stare down at the little girl in the cot, trying not to cry. "I know you do."

"He kicked me out. He kicked me out and she let him." She bit her lip, fingers still running through Beth's hair, "she let him Kurt."

There was his queue, standing up and striding over to her Kurt wrapped his arms around her from behind in time for the tears to start. "I thought, when she came to regionals and was there when she was born tha-that everything would be okay! But, he keeps trying to come back, and...and she lets him." Quinn was full on sobbing now, muffling her cries in Kurt's chest, t-shirt bunched up in her fists.

Again Kurt kept quiet, ran his fingers through her hair and just squeezed her tighter. "She just reverts back to that, that fucking silent housewife! They're not even fucking married anymore but she can't fucking say no to him." Beth stirred, a tiny little frown on her face, which in other circumstances would be adorable and Kurt would take a picture to send to Puck, but tonight he led Quinn back until they were in the cubby part of his room by his vanity.

"I don't want Beth around him, she knows this, I told her last year when all this shit started back up again! I can't Kurt_, I can't_ let him near my baby, I can't deal with him looking at me like I'm shit - there's no way in Hell I am letting him look at her that way, no _fucking_ way. Fuck him, fuck him and fuck her. Fuck him, _fuck him_, fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!"

"Me and Puck won't let him near her. You know that right?" Another squeeze and a dropped kiss to her hair, letting his head rest there. "That's assuming he even gets past you in the first place. You can be a _fierce_ mama bear when the time calls for it Quinnie, and a ruthless bitch the rest of it."


	4. Chapter 3

When Kurt woke up the next morning, after letting Quinn cry herself to sleep - he really did hate her father almost as much as Puck did - it was to his best friends' little girl sat on his chest poking his face. Quinn was no where to be seen.

"You're lucky you're so cute." Kurt propped his knees up behind the wiggly child as she babbled happily at him, pointing at things that caught her attention around his room. The latest thing that held her attention, something she clearly needed to explain to him, was his glittery skull on the shelves opposite his bed. "D'you like that sweetie?"

"Pwedy."

"Not as pretty as you."

"Oh, I'd take that Beth, Uncle Kurt doesn't tend to think girls are pretty. You must be so lucky." Quinn leant against the doorframe in Kurt's bathrobe, messy wet pink hair surrounding her face, green eyes still puffy and bloodshot from last night.

"You okay?"

"No, when are we ever really okay?"

Kurt shifted himself and Beth over so Quinn could sit on the edge of the bed. "Fair point, how long is he in town for this time?"

"I don't know, he never says, just takes over the house because he claims that it's still his."

"Mama, 'ook." Beth demanded their attention by lifting her pyjama top up over her head and giggling.

"Wow, that's umm, baby why don't you put your top back down and play with your bear while mommy and Uncle Kurt get ready for school kay?"

Kurt climbed out of bed to head to the bathroom for a shower, grabbing his glitter-skull and placing it on the bed next to Beth to play with. Quinn was right; Beth did like pretty things. In fact by the time Kurt was done in the bathroom, she was still staring transfixed at the skull, occasionally running a hand over it in awe.

Quinn was already dressed, grey maxi skirt, combat boots and a dark graphic print vest, sitting at his vanity simultaneously doing her hair and keeping an eye on the baby. Picking out his new favourite jeans - black skinny ones with safety pins down the outside seams and a ratty Ramones top Kurt moved to stand behind her and help with her cropped hair. Running wax through hers to muss it up before ruffling his own and shoving one of many beanies (this time a sock style one) on top, careful to make sure the parts of his hair on show were perfectly messy while Q got Beth dressed.

"Can you do me a favour? I need to go home tonight to get some clothes and bits for both of us, and I want to remind mom not to fall for his crap again." Quinn lifted Beth into her arms as she faced the other skank. "Puck's got work and I can't take her with me. Can you pick her up from daycare after school and watch her for me?"

Kurt looked up from his mirror where he was changing the plugs in both ears, solid violet this time, and cleaning his newest addition of metal to his person (industrial on his left). "You know you don't have to ask me right? Am I still down to be allowed to get Beth if you or Puck can't?"

"Yeah. Okay, say bye-bye to Kurt Beth," Beth gave him a hyperactive wave which he winked at her for, "I will see you at school hot stuff." Quinn grabbed her school bag and Beth's baby one, stopping at his bedroom door before grinning slyly at him "Try not to stare at Bowtie's ass to hard today," before giggling to herself and running down to her car.

"I wasn't staring!"

"Dude! Kurt man, wait up!" Puck waved to him from where he was standing talking to Santana and Mike, saying a hasty goodbye to the other two before jogging over to where Kurt waited for in the middle of the school steps.

"Hey," Kurt rolled his eyes at the rough shoulder clap he got in greeting and carried on walking into the school with Puck. While people may have begun to realise at the end of Junior year that messing with Kurt may not be the brightest idea anymore, it didn't really click with the student population until last week when school picked back up after summer and he and Quinn walked through the halls, brightly coloured heads held high, piercings and tattoos on proud display - daring anyone to say something. Kurt loved it. He revelled in not being the weak little gay boy that every saw him as for the first two and half years of high school.

He may not take part in the odd terrorising of random younger students like Ronnie, The Mack and Sheila and occasionally Quinn liked to do to keep up the fear, but he did like the fear that he was associated with. Nobody, not even the more daring of the Jocks wanted to come near him for the simple thought of what might happen (at Kurt's hand or the combined force of The Skanks and Puck).

Glancing around the mohawked Jock leant in close to Kurt as the headed towards the latter's locker. "How was she last night?"

"Careful there Puck, someone might think you give a shit about the mother of your child."

"Shut up Kurt. Just tell me."

Sighing Kurt grabbed what he needed before shutting his locker door and leaning back against while Puck leant against the one next to his. "It wasn't pretty. Took a good few hours to calm her down if I'm honest...She also may have gotten pissed at Finn and confused him into thinking that me and her were fucking. So good luck with that."

"Finn was convinced he knocked her up in a freaking hot tub. Of course he thinks you're fucking his ex." Puck sniggered before rubbing his hand against his head in frustration. "I really fucking hate her dad, more than I hate mine man. He can talk shit about me all he wants; he's not allowed to do it to them." Pushing himself away from the lockers Puck shook his head frowning, "do me a favour and text me when she gets back to yours tonight? I'm gonna take her out maybe, let her scream at me or something so she doesn't do it near Beth. We both know she doesn't like her seeing her angry."

"I will, but seriously, are you two dating or just fucking because it really seems like you still love her Puck."

"She's Beth's mom dude, course I love her. It's just complicated."

"Whatever," reaching up to adjust the black bell-bar in his right eyebrow Kurt turned to face Puck completely, "look, I'll let you know when she's leaving hers and heading to mine okay? But it's really not that complicated." Nodding briefly at his friend Kurt began to walk towards his math class, he figured he should at least show his face more than once this week.

The bell hadn't rung yet so he was the first one there, heading straight the desk in the back corner - the one no one sat in because it was _his_ desk - threw himself into the chair, feet kicked up on the table and Raybans shoved to hide the fact that he was planning on catching some sleep.

Well, he was until Blaine walked in and sat down in the seat across from his. _Blaine_ with the bowties and the phenomenal ass and million watt smile. Screw sleeping, sunglasses can hide the fact that you're star-checking someone out. The new kid was organising his desk, textbook, notebook and pencil case all perfectly aligned, messenger bag stowed under his seat and his bared ankles crossed. Kurt dropped his gaze when amber eyes caught his before he remember he still looked asleep, head tipped back against the wall, feet up and glasses on. Blaine couldn't - hopefully - see him looking.

So he did, he looked (definitely not stared because he didn't stare at boys anymore, not since Finn and his room) until their teacher walked in behind the rest of the class and started talking. History, English, French and Art Kurt could skip and it had no effect on his grade, the academics in this hell hole were not the most difficult, but anything mathematical went over Kurt's head. He wasn't failing, far from it (he didn't want to completely ruin his chances of getting out of this cow town without a high school diploma), but he was aware that it took hours of painful studying to understand even half of the AP course he was taking.

Groaning quietly to himself Kurt sat up, removed his white DMs from his desk and attempted to follow whatever the hell Mr Davis was going on about. This meant he ended up sketching out a new tattoo idea, after fifteen minutes failing to understand what he was meant to be learning.

Next to him Blaine dutifully took notes. Not that Kurt was paying any attention to the kid beside him. Or the way his arms flexed on the desk when he wrote or rested his head on one hand.

Blaine's golden eyes once again caught his, and Kurt would have panicked had Blaine not blushed, smiled shyly and ducked his head. Kurt raised his eyebrows in surprise; maybe those looks he'd managed to catch the other boy giving him weren't bad ones. Turning to face his drawing again Kurt furrowed his brow, and snuck another look across at Blaine to see the boy's eyes darting away and biting his lip. _Fuck_ Kurt wanted to be the one biting that lip.

Kurt walked out of the class when the bell rang a few people behind Blaine, still wondering why the Hell Blaine blushed lightly every time their eyes met. Did that mean he was catching Kurt looking or that _Blaine_ was looking at Kurt as well? Walking back to his locker still trying to understand Blaine's stupid blush - why he was doing that he didn't know, he shouldn't give two fucks about Blaine and his red face...gorgeous red face.

"Kurt!" Quinn was leaning up against his locker, glaring at anyone who so much as looked at her. Kurt grinned slightly, shoving his things into his locker when he reached it before throwing an arm over Q's shoulders and leading her towards the back entrance of the school. They both had art now, something they missed regularly as they would do the work at home.

"The day care know you're picking up Beth later, thanks for doing that by the way."

"You know I love that little girl. I'd do anything for the both of you Quinnie."

Kurt pulled her closer placing a smacking kiss on her forehead tugging her round the outdoors stairs that lead to the courtyard and sitting down with their backs against the chain link fence. Kurt was blowing smoke rings when the door above them slammed open.

"Oh fucking hell," Quinn muttered around an exhale of smoke, they could hear voices upstairs growing louder.

Kurt rolled his eyes as he took another deep inhale, coughing it all back out when he recognised one of the voices.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing fag? Huh?" A shove could be heard this time; Kurt leant forward slightly, trying to get a better idea of who Karofsky was torturing this year. "Think you're being a big man standing up for a loser?"

_What?_ Quinn mouthed to Kurt, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Kurt shook his head as he pulled out his phone, a text hastily being typed to Puck with his finger hovering over the send button.

Another shove, this one with a pained whimper following. "Answer me new kid!"

Kurt's finger jabbed down on send; he of all people knew exactly what Karofsky was capable of so it wouldn't hurt to have back up. Shoving his phone into his pocket and bag at Quinn who he motioned to say out of sight Kurt quietly climbed the stairs to peak around the corner of the next flight to see the footballer pinning a tiny looking Blaine to the fence.

It was Blaine's eyes that made Kurt step out behind Karofsky without waiting for Puck. Blaine shot him a panicked look, clearly not understanding if Kurt was there to help him or not.

"You know Karofsky, you keep pinning unsuspecting boys into hard surfaces and someone might start to ask questions." He kept his voice light and calm while inside his heart pounded, he couldn't let either of the other two know how much the Jock terrified him still. It worked though, Blaine relaxed as the larger boy let go of his shoulders and spun around to face Kurt.

"Back off Hummel, this has got nothing to do with you."

"Actually it does, you're harassing a friend of mine, and as you know I don't really take kindly to that. So back the fuck off Blaine, or I'll make sure everybody's questions get answered." He was bluffing, Kurt could barely say the words out loud let alone tell people what happened last year but he hoped the bully wouldn't see that.

Karofsky lurched forward a few steps closer to the purple haired teen who managed to give off a bored air despite how fast his heart was beating. "You wouldn't dare faggot."

"Really? You want to test that theory?" Kurt felt all his muscles tense in anticipation of a fight, eyes darting to Blaine's still scared ones and trying to get him to understand to get out of the way. The boy just stared back, face slack with shock. "Your choice Dave."

The jock looked between the other two boys, one trying to take up as little space as possible and the other standing deceptively relaxed against the railing, smirk in place. "Leave Blaine alone, you and I both know what's really going on here Davey."

It was the snide knick name that caused Karofsky to snap, stalking forward and punching the wall beside Kurt's head. Kurt gave himself a mental pat on the back for not flinching, only tensing his shoulders to brace himself and glancing quickly to Blaine. "Fuck you." And then the bully was gone. Blaine let out a shaky breath and slid down to the floor.

"Kurt?!" Quinn's panicked voice came closer as she hurried up the stairs, grabbed both sides of his face and tugged him down so she could look him over, once his face was cleared she ran her shaking hands over his body. "Did he hit you? Puck's on the phone, oh God, are you okay baby?"

"Q, hey...hey Q," Kurt gently grabbed her hands in one of his and used the other to tilt her face up to look at him, heart breaking at the tears she was holding back, "honey I'm fine, he didn't do anything just like I knew he wouldn't, Puck was just back up." He gently pulled her into a hug and took her phone.

"Quinn? Jesus Quinn talk to me, do I need to get there?"

"Puck it's me, I'm fine," He glanced at Blaine over Quinn's head to see him also trying not to cry, keeping his face angles away from the two skanks, "listen can you come and get Q? I'm needed here."

"Yeah just, get her to meet me at the bottom okay? I'm almost there, Kurt... you sure you're okay?"

"I've had worse." Dropping the phone away from his ear he pulled back from Quinn, whipped his thumbs under her eyes to removes the smudged eyeliner, "Go wait downstairs for Puck okay? I'm gonna make sure Blaine's okay."

Quinn nodded after she looked over the shaking boy on the floor, giving Kurt a harsh kiss to the cheek and his bag before lifting the phone to her ear and going to meet Puck.

Kurt let out a shaky breath of his own as he turned around, walked over the Blaine and slid down next to him in silence. From his own past experience with bullies, especially with Karofsky Kurt knew the boy didn't need words right now, just for someone to be there.

It took sometime but eventually Blaine looked over to Kurt, golden eyes searching his face for something, he must have found it because he spoke. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Step in like that, you - you didn't have to." Blaine blushed and ducked his head again, only it wasn't with the flustered look he had in math but almost shame. Kurt frowned and almost reached over to touch the boys polo before remember how he used to hate being touched by boys after something like that.

"I really did, it's exactly what I wanted someone to do for me last year. Couldn't ignore it without hating myself." Kurt tried to get Blaine to look at him again, he had to know what he was thinking, "Hey, Blaine look at me, look at me," he waited until he had the attention of those eyes again before he continued. "Karofsky is a dick. Hell most of the jocks here are, and most of them will leave it at a slushy facial or a locker shove. Some won't, and he's one of them. You can't expect to be able to deal with it all alone, trust me."

Kurt lowered his voice and tensed his hands almost without noticing, "no one deserves to go through that without someone in their corner."

Blaine's eyes cleared a little from left over tears as he studied Kurt. "Does that mean that was you in my corner then?"

"Do you have anyone else?"

"Not really no."

"Then yeah, that was me in your corner."


	5. Chapter 4

"So, what did you do to invoke 'the fury'?"

Blaine snorted lightly, "I'm sorry, the what?"

"It's what he calls his fist. Told me that one last year." Kurt let a small smile flash at the shorter boy. "What'd you supposedly do?"

"He knocked into Brittany, so I shoved him off. Apparently that was the wrong thing to do." Blaine's eyes lowered into what Kurt was rapidly likening to that of a kicked puppy, one that he knew he would always have to do something in order to keep it off of the other boy's face.

"It wasn't, it was brave and noble. Two things that don't always go together in this school. Just, do me a favour, please be careful." The warning bell for the next period rang out as Kurt stood, offering a hand to Blaine that he took. And Kurt definitely did not hold his soft hand longer than necessary.

"Can I ask you something?" Blaine shifted from foot to foot, fiddling with his purple bowtie, standing out stark against the jet black polo and purple chinos. He looked nervous, amber eyes darting from Kurt's face to his feet and back again.

"Yeah." God he just had to get rid of that kicked-puppy look.

"I know you said that I needed someone in my corner if this carries on, but why you?"

Kurt frowned, "what do you mean?"

"I mean why did you intervene? I...I don't get it. You're, you're you and I'm... I guess I just want to know what made you stop him. Other than hating yourself."

"Because I know what he's capable of, and that's something you never want to find out Blaine, trust me." Kurt shuffled uncomfortably under Blaine's earnest gaze. "What did you think would happen?"

"I don't know, no one really seems to notice when something happens. Not even - " His mouth snapped shut quickly and moved his gaze down to their feet. Kurt idly noticed how small Blaine could make himself look, and how it stirred an odd protective need inside of him; something he only felt towards Beth and Quinn. Blinking quickly Kurt shoved that to the furthest part of his mind, in a box labelled _'do not touch, don't ruin him'_.

"Glee club don't do anything do they?" Kurt pushed down the anger that roared up at the thought of them standing back and watching it all happen again. After all, his bullying stared "light" and escalated and hardly any of them noticed. Tina would be the one who helped him clean off after a slushy, or a dumpster dive or locker shove. Quinn took it upon herself to start walking to classes with him, arms linked, asking him to go shopping with her and Beth, eventually letting him cry into her stomach on her bed about not being able to handle it anymore. Puck started hanging around the garage more and more. Other than that, nothing.

"Puck, Tina and Mike try, they do...but they can't always be there. I've had worse anyway, I can handle it."

"I never said you couldn't handle it, just said they didn't notice or help." Kurt ran a hand through the front of his hair in frustration. Why the hell did he care so much what happened to Blaine? He could have walked away after a quick 'you okay?' and left it at that. But he couldn't stop himself from spending those forty-five minutes left of second period sitting in near silence with the other boy.

"Thank you." Blaine's quiet voice pulled him out of his brooding.

"What?"

"For stopping him from hitting me. I, er, I kind of froze."

"Don't mention it." Kurt gave him a small smile, nodded and turned to make his way down the bleachers with the other skanks, stopped and turned back to face Blaine, "do me a favour?"

Blaine's eyebrows shot up, (who knew triangular eyebrows could be so hot?), before he nodded looking slightly bewildered. "If something else happens, anything, you can always come and find me; I'll take your mind of it all for a while or something."

Blaine blinked. "How?"

Kurt would like to blame this on Puck's influence but the truth is his brain-to-mouth filter apparently only lasts so long in Blaine Anderson's presence, so instead of the "just because you don't want to talk about it doesn't mean you don't want a distraction" it turned into "I know plenty different ways to distract you." Followed by a smirk and wink.

It wasn't until he was heading down the bleachers, lighting his cigarette that he realised just how blunt and forward he'd been with Blaine. Shit, shit, shit, hadn't he already decided that Blaine was a no-go? _You are not allowed to ruin him Hummel!_

Kurt was still muttering darkly to himself when he reached the bleachers, the other four girls already there. Mack and Quinn were slumped across the couch smoking, Ronnie and Sheila down the other end scowling over at the Cheerleaders practising.

Kurt threw himself down on the arm of the sofa by Quinn, resting his arm behind her head. Mack spared him a nod, getting up to go and join the other two girls in their jeering. Quinn eyed him as he moved to take Mack's spot, leaning forward, supporting his forearms on his knees, angrily puffing on his cigarette.

"Okay, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"You're down to your filter Kurt. You're gonna burn yourself if you don't put it out soon."

Kurt blinked slowly, looking down to the butt in between his right index and middle fingers, ash piling up on the end and all the way down to the filter. He dropped it and crushed it rather brutally under his boot. "He's being picked on Q."

"Like you."

Kurt looked over to the other quickly, confirming they were out of earshot. "Yeah, like me...I think anyway."

"You okay?" Quinn handed him another cigarette, which he put in between his lips and cupped his hands around so that she could light it for him. He took a deep inhale of the nicotine before he answered.

"Why wouldn't I be? It's not happening to me again is it?"

"Kurt."

"Q, I'm fine, I just..." another inhale, blowing out a series of smoke rings, "I told him if it happened again I would be there if he needed someone."

"Okay..."

"I don't know what made me say it."

Quinn snorted. "Yeah you do, it's not a bad thing Kurt. Just because we're like, like this now, doesn't mean we have to be dicks to everyone."

"We _are_ dicks to everyone."

Quinn elbowed him sharply in the ribs, ignoring his glare, she stole his cigarette. "We're not dicks to Tina."

"Tina's too nice to be mean to. So is Brittany."

"Exactly, look, I haven't spoken to Bowtie, but I do see how he looks at you, and no matter how much you say you're not staring I also see how you look at him. You and I both know we don't give a shit about the skanks, I mean, I like this look, I really do...I feel comfortable in it, but as far as who's got my back it's only you and Puck. And I'm pretty sure they know I've only got yours and his. We are in this to keep people away from us, it just so happens that both of us pull of the badass look to a T."

Kurt glanced over to the other girls, smoking together down the other end of the bleachers. She was right, this was only part of the plan to get through their last year of high school in one piece, the changes in their personal appearances started long before the start of this year, long before their knowledge of the skanks. They changed their looks slowly, piece by piece, Kurt still wore designer items - they were just distressed items now. They only hung around the skanks because they figured there was a better chance of getting people to back off with more numbers.

"I can't be a dick to him. He looks like a kicked puppy Q, a neglected kicked puppy and it's not fair for him to look at me like that. I'm meant to be an ass, there are very few people in this world that I help no questions asked, but I need to help him."

"I know." Quinn nudged his shoulder with her nose, before standing and pulling him with her, "okay look, you've got two options. One, ignore everything you told him and carry on like you were before today. Or two, help him. Be there like I know you want to be. I'm not saying declare your undying love for him and his perky ass - shut up you know it's true, dat ass is impressive - I'm just saying do what you said you would. Let him come to you if he decides he needs you. Then you don't have to panic about approaching him if he's not gay and pissing him off. Bat-shit crazy by the way, he is just as gay if not gayer than you."

The rest of the school day passed in a blur, Kurt actually went to the remaining lessons of the day but he didn't take much in. He just wanted to see if he had any other classes with Blaine. Lit was the only other one - another AP course.

By the end of the day he'd made his mind up about Blaine, if the other boy came to him or he saw/heard about him bullied he'd step up. If not he would get on with his life as it was - spending all his time and energy on remaining untouchable and getting the Hell out of dodge.

At his locker he blanked Rachel when she attempted to recruit him back to Glee in order to have her numbers for sectionals. Finn awkwardly standing behind her nodding along blindly to everything she said. He grabbed the things he needed for tonight and swapped the bits in his bag around before walking past his step-brother and his girlfriend to get to his car and pick up Beth.

Throwing the oversized denim shirt he was using a jacket into his passenger seat along with his bag he waited for Quinn to get to her car a few spots down from him to get Beth's car seat. He was watching the other students milling around through his sunglasses, mildly amused at how they all kept their distance from him, when he spotted Blaine walking to his car. Blaine must have seen him for his steps faltered for a minute before he offered a shy half smile and nod then carried on to a car just past Kurt's Navigator.

It aggravated Kurt how a tiny little smile and appreciative nod could cause him smile slightly in response. He was still smiling to himself, though it wasn't really a _smile_, more of a slight quirk of right hand corner of his mouth. It barely even counted.

He was so busy trying to figure the meanings behind a _God damned smile_ that he didn't notice Quinn until she kicked his shin, arms full of the car seat.

"_Shit!_ What the Hell is it with you and hitting me?" Glaring at his so called BFF Kurt grabbed the seat and turned to secure to his back passenger side.

"To be fair, I did call your name a bunch of times, kicking you's just faster and more effective." A light shrug accompanied her explanation; it didn't make Kurt feel better about his smarting shin though. But he decided to ignore it for now when he turned back to see Quinn playing with one of her necklaces and the hem of her ripped denim waistcoat.

"Hey, listen when you leave, ring Puck." Quinn lifted an eyebrow. "He wants to take you out tonight before you come back to mine. Don't worry about how late you get back, you have a key. We think you'll need him to take your mind off everything before seeing Beth." Q nodded but bit her lip so added, "and for the love of the Giant Spaghetti Monster, do not tell me if it's sexual. I do not need or want that image in my head." He dropped a quick kiss to her forehead as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, squeezed her shoulders in response before gently pushing her away.

"Okay, I'm going." Another squeeze and she turned back to her own car leaving Kurt to climb into his own and collect Beth.

Beth's reactions to seeing him pick her up on the odd days neither of her parents could, never failed to bring a blinding smile to Kurt's face. Back in the Hell that was last year, when he began to get closer to Puck, he would sometimes bring her to the garage with him, holding her over the hoods of the cars Kurt worked on and telling her that when she got her own car only Uncle Kurt or Burt was allowed to touch it if daddy couldn't.

When Puck told Q once she began to hang out with him more often outside of Glee that Beth loved Kurt she began to bring her along on their outings. Whether it was going shopping, out to coffee or Breadstix for a meal. Sometimes they went out without her, mainly on the days when Puck had her to himself for his "daddy-daughter bonding dude" but it soon became clear that Kurt was her favourite person behind her parents.

As it was the second she saw him walking over to where she was banging around in a toy kitchen feeding her Teddy some plastic pizza, she dropped it and threw her arms into the air making grabby-hands at him and squealing. Since she was only just starting to talk 'Kurt' was a bit beyond her at the moment. It didn't stop her from trying though as she happily chanted "Urh!" in his ear when he swung her up into his arms.

"Hello Sunshine, you fancy coming home with me today? That sound fun?" He reached over to pluck her bear up before heading over the reception to collect her things and sign out. "Looks like it's gonna be just us two tonight Beth, mommy and daddy are going on a date!"

Whether or not she was completely listening to him didn't seem to matter to either teen or baby seeing as while Kurt grabbed her bag from a member of staff, flashed an ID and signed her out, Beth babbled away in a mixture of English and her own language. Kurt made appropriate humming noises and comments throughout her little speech.

Beth continued to babble happily at him in gibberish and baby squeaks as they made the short journey back to his house, several cars were on his drive when they reached his house but at least his spot was empty. He figured Finn must have some friends round and resolved himself to sticking to his room and the kitchen tonight. At least he had almost everything he would need to keep an eighteen month old occupied in his room, he'd only need to venture in the living room once to grab the box of toys his dad and Carole kept.

They said they felt mean not having anything strictly baby friendly in the house for her when she was over, and seeing as she spent as she spent almost as much time over here as she did at either of her parents' homes it seemed like a bright idea.

Somehow unlocking the front door juggling Beth, both of their bags and jackets, Kurt kicked the door shut and quickly carried her upstairs, past the quite music and laughing voices he heard in the front room, to dump their bits by his desk and removing both of their shoes before returning back downstairs with Beth in his arms to get some toys a drink. The laughing got louder as he reached the front room, causing Beth to lift her head from his should and try to see what was happening.

From what Kurt could gather from all the laughing, Mike was attempting to teach Finn how to dance, with Artie shouting out pointers while stuffing Doritos in his mouth. Kurt sniggered as he watched his T-Rex of a brother try not to catch the Asian dancer in the head with a stray arm.

Beth let out a shrill giggle as Mike grabbed at Finn to stop him and start again, causing three heads to snap towards them. "See dude, even Beth knows you need to relax more!" Mike winked at the baby and nodded to Kurt.

Kurt sniggered again, placing Beth down and letting her grab onto one of his fingers as she wobbled forwards. "We're just going grab Beth's toys then let you get back to...whatever the Hell that was."

"Booty camp bro, Mr Schue said we need to up our dancing this year."

Kurt raised an eyebrow at his step-brother, fighting back another laugh. Mike ran his hands through his hair, up this close the poor boy looked close to tears, "Good luck with that."

Beth tugged impatiently on his hand, dragging him towards the toy chest beside the flat screen. Rather than have her pull everything out to look at in here, Kurt grabbed the whole thing, tucking it under one arm, mentally thanking all of his new found muscle mass from last year as well as the fact that it wasn't heavy to begin with. Taking Beth's hand again he led her into the Kitchen to get them both a drink. Setting the chest down on the island and then lifting Beth into his arms he opened the fridge door so she could look.

"Do you want Juice sweetie?"

"'dat!" Kurt picked up the carton of apple juice that Beth was poking at. Laughing Kurt dropped a kiss to her curls and grabbed the bottle, using his socked foot to slam the door closed.

_"Shit!"_ Blaine was standing in the doorway with a look of shock on his face. Kurt clutched Beth tighter, who luckily for him didn't try to repeat what he said, and tried to calm his heart. "Jesus Blaine!" Deciding it would be safer for both of them if he put her down Kurt placed Beth next to her toys on the island and busied himself making her juice.

"Sorry, um Finn said I could get a drink..." His voice went up at the end like a question. Kurt rolled his eyes at how nervous Blaine seemed again and handed him a glass. "I didn't know you...lived here?"

"Finn's my step-brother. There's stuff in the fridge, help yourself..." Kurt eyes the other boy while he finished screwing on the lid to Beth's sippy cup and made himself a glass. "Okay, seriously?" Blaine jumped. "That! I'm not going to bite you Blaine, why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not!"

"Really? Cause the fact that you have your back to me and you're twitching more than Tweak from South Park says otherwise." Kurt picked Beth back up, and narrowed his eyes at the gelled boy.

"Sorry, um I just - " Blaine snapped his mouth shut and blushed.

Kurt sighed and put Beth down on the floor where she clutched her cup, drinking her juice slowly while watching the two boys with wide green eyes. "I meant what I said; if you need someone in your corner I'll be there. You don't have to act like I'm about to snap and eat you."

Blaine blushed again, offering a shy smile as Kurt drained his glass, placed it by the sink and went to pick up the chest, hand offered to the toddler. "She's cute," stopping as he passed Blaine, Kurt looked down to where Beth was grinning at the other boy, clearly deciding that he wasn't a stranger anymore, "is she..."

"Quinn and Puck. I'm just her favourite uncle. You going to say hello to Blaine Beth?"

Grinning wider Beth offered a wave, which Blaine returned before Kurt turned to start shepherding Beth slowly up the stairs to his room and as such completely missed the look Blaine gave him.

The younger boy bit his lip, red beginning to fade from his cheeks as he eyed the taller boy helping the baby up the steps. Shaking his head Blaine snuck another look to see them reach the top before the little girl tore off towards a room, Kurt laughing loudly and calling for her to _"be careful Beth honey!"_ and headed back into the front room to help Mike with Finn trying to ignore the butterflies until he was back in his own home.


	6. Chapter 5

Kurt had said he was in his corner, if he wanted him to be. Blaine had almost asked the senior if that was a trick question.

What Blaine should have done was nodded politely and then walked away; he should have never asked Rachel and Tina about the mysterious boy with the purple hair and the tattoo on his left bicep that he only ever got glimpses of from afar. He should have kept his odd infatuation with the boy, the pink haired girl he always saw next to him and why they seemed to be important to Puck. So important that whenever something negative was said about one of them in Glee or in class or anywhere in the school it was only ever done where Puck couldn't over hear.

Rachel was useless in terms of finding out more about _Kurt Hummel_ other than a rather long speech about bad life choices, peer pressure, babies and two gay dads that he didn't listen to. Tina had just rolled her eyes, told Rachel to stop talking about things she didn't know or comprehend then turned to the other junior, "It's not our place to tell you about Kurt or Quinn. It's definitely not Rachel's...Talk to Puck."

Blaine had been disappointed, but he could see where she was coming from. He would have hated if anyone had gossiped about his transfer to Dalton in that first year. He knows people did, he's just also aware that no one knows the full story and only the Warblers knew the vaguest of details, so even if they did tell someone (which he doubted) it was never the full story. As for talking to Puck about two people he seemed oddly protective of, despite almost never being seen with them in school, well that didn't seem like an option to Blaine. He had no idea where he stood with the jock; he wasn't going to push it with questions about the two 'skanks' as he'd been informed.

Brittany had found out through Rachel about his want to know more, and she seemed to be the only one who offered any sound advice. "Nobody knows what happened except Q, because they love each other." His heart sunk at that first bit. "But he's still my dolphin, and I know my dolphin. He looks at you, so he'll tell you himself."

"What's a dolphin?"

"You are. Dolphins are gay sharks, so if you're gay you're a dolphin. Just like Kurt." And then she'd danced off to link pinkies with Santana leaving Blaine with the only sound piece of information anyone had given him. It was useless because there was no way in hell he would get up the courage to talk to Kurt first, and he highly doubted Kurt looked at him or would talk to him first. He resigned himself to keeping his crush on the boy with ripped skinny jeans and band t-shirts to himself, taking it to the grave if necessary.

Blaine stumbled into math the next morning half asleep, his parents had been home for once last night. Meaning family dinner happened; and an argument between him and his father; then a fight between his parents that kept him up all night. To say he was felt like a bit of a mess was an understatement. He perked up a little bit when he spotted the only male skank slumped in the corner desk next to his, fast asleep by the look of things. So he let himself look; he would work on not being obsessed with Kurt another day, maybe he would get away with it for the lesson.

But then Kurt caught him looking. He thought he was safe; the taller teen had seemed beyond engrossed in his doodle after giving up on the equations in front of him. But while Blaine had been in the middle of trying to figure out what his tattoo that peeked out from under his sleeve was and what all the different pieces of metal in his ear were called, see-green eyes flicked up to his. It was only first period and Blaine was already turning scarlet, clearly his day wasn't going to look up any soon.

He was right of course, he was coming out of the bathroom when he spotted Karofsky slam into Brittany, and he'd been on the receiving end of those kinds of shoves enough to see it wasn't an accident. So he'd said something, because Blaine couldn't just help Britt up, mention something to a teacher and make sure his friend was okay. He had to engage the football player head on, only realising his mistake too late.

"Hey! What the hell man? You can't shove a girl!"

Next thing he new he was being shoved through a door and outside, away from prying eyes. He'd frozen, everything he'd learnt in boxing had flown out of his head and the flashbacks from before Dalton pushed to the forefront of Blaine's mind. His heart was pounding and hands shaking by the time Kurt showed up behind Karofsky, the mere sight of the other boy allowed maybe three seconds of relief - someone, _Kurt_, saw him being shoved - before doubt followed. After all, everyone saw him being pushed around at his old school and it never made a difference. Why on Earth would it now?

It's safe to say that Blaine's slightly crush on the boy didn't look like it was going anywhere anytime soon. He's not naive enough to pretend it hadn't gotten worse. Especially when Kurt didn't walk off with his friend and comfort her, he'd made sure she would be okay sure, but he'd stayed with Blaine. He'd sat on the dirty ground in silence while Blaine tried not to cry, because _men do not cry Blaine, especially the Andersons._

Clearly Britt was right, Kurt wasn't a bad person. Not that Blaine had ever thought that; the first time he'd laid eyes on the boy it had been when he'd forced that whinny kid with the ginger afro to apologise to Brittany for calling her stupid on the second day of school, Blaine's first official day. Granted it was by grabbing the kids arm as he passed Kurt in the hall, dragging him over to the cheerleader, shoving him up against the locker and informing him that he was sure he'd misheard what he's said, because surely someone like Jewfro, he'd almost spat the nickname at the boy, wasn't dumb enough to do something so mean.

Blaine had watched amazed as the whimpering boy stuttered out an apology and a promise to never do it again before hurrying away with fear in his eyes. Kurt had had a quick conversation with the Cheerio where she'd brightened up before stalking off back towards the girl with bright pink hair.

So he began to notice the other boy more, noticed how he never took part in any bullying; the only time he was ever threatening towards another student was in situations like with Britt. Though he was constantly sarcastic and abrasive towards pretty much everyone in the school except Quinn, so much so that until Brittany gave her speech about Dolphin's he'd been convinced they were together.

But Kurt was gay. Gay, and beautiful. Someone Blaine never in a million years thought he would be attracted to. He was normally into guys who worked at the Gap, (though he tried to never think about that and swore the Warblers to a vow of silence) not boys with multiple piercings, tattoos and a smoking habit. Kurt wasn't exactly the kind of boy you brought home to meet the parents and have them fall in love with him. Although he could bring home a prince and his parents would hate him based on the fact that it was guy, so he supposed Kurt's appearance was irrelevant in all his 'this is my boyfriend' fantasies. Not that he'd had any "meet, Kurt, my boyfriend" fantasies at all.

Kurt was the visual definition of a bad-boy, he'd somehow, and Blaine's not sure he wants to know what _I know what he's capable of_ means, scared the school's main bully into walking away from beating the shit out of Blaine. In fact looking back on this morning Blaine's sure he doesn't want to ever know what Karofsky is capable of; the look in his eyes was enough to make Blaine shut down let along what he could physically do to the boy.

Shuddering slightly as he tried not to think about how Kurt, rough around the edges Kurt, knew what the jock could do. Has done by the sound of it. Blaine frowned, Kurt seemed so closed off from everyone at McKinley save for Quinn and possibly Puckerman. So why the Hell was he seemingly making an effort to be there for Blaine in a way that no one else was?

He got that Kurt felt like he couldn't ignore bullying going on under his nose because of past experiences - that was fair enough. But why did he make it a point to remind Blaine that he was there to talk to if he needed it? At home he was on his own, the rare times that Cooper visited they kept conversation superficial, his parents were hardly ever there and hadn't been for years. At Dalton he'd had friends, been popular even, but still no one could really grasp what he'd gone as none of the Warblers had ever been through something like that. The zero-tolerance bullying policy kept him safe from everyone else in the school so he never found out if anyone had a problem with him outside of his friends.

He really needed to stop over thinking everything.

"Did you know, if you keep your face like that for long enough it'll stay that way?" Kurt appeared in front of him, leaning one arm casually against the locker next to his.

"Huh?" Blaine blinked stupidly before flushing and turning to his still closed locker, fumbled with the lock and tried to remember why he'd come here in the first place. How he'd gotten here was still a mystery - had he really been that far in his own head?

"You alright?" Kurt titled his head, eyebrow bell-bar glinting.

"What, yeah, yeah totally fine. Why?"

"You're aware that you've picked up and replaced your Biology textbook three times right?" the taller teen seemed to be failing at biting back a smirk. "Am I making you nervous?"

_Yes_. "No, not at all." Blaine's eyes darted to his locker, picking up his correct textbook this time and shutting the damn thing to prevent anymore embarrassment. _Oh God, please just change the subject. _

"Okay..." Kurt shifted away from the lockers, grey cotton clad arms crossing over his chest, which of course did not draw Blaine's eye to his biceps, or pecks, or body in general. "Um I just wanted to make sure you were okay after yesterday? And remind you that you can talk to me, I really don't bite," the smirk came back, "well unless you're into that." Winking at the dumbstruck junior Kurt turned and walked away form Blaine, denim clad ass directly (kind of) in Blaine's face.

Shaking himself Blaine smiled lightly as he headed towards his Gym class that he shared with the glee guys. Blaine could admit to himself that he was oblivious at the best of times but it seemed like Kurt was flirting with him. Of course the boy was friends with Puck, who seemed to throw out innuendos like they were candy so maybe it was proximity thing. He really needed to stop -

A jock shoulder checked him into a locker before high fiving Karofsky who was beside him. Clearly was trying to get around Kurt's threats.

Shaking it off Blaine carried on to the gym.

By lunch Blaine had been shoved into three lockers and slushied once. Thankfully it missed most of him - no wonder the baseball team wasn't doing so well, they couldn't aim for shit - so he only had to remove his cardigan. He managed to get most of it out the sleeve it landed on in the toilets and hung it in his locker to take home and wash.

It wasn't pleasant, of course it wasn't, he got it worse than the other gleeks but they did get it too. They just didn't get the names, _fag, homo, fairy. _Or the shoves. Still it could be worse; it could be like last time. He could handle it easily, let it roll of his back, through his gloves and onto the bag he had handing in his basement.

So why was he walking towards the bleachers intent on finding Kurt? He only hesitated for a few minutes before ducking under them and finding a faded old couch and two skanks smoking on it.

"What the fuck do you want?" The darker skinned one glared at him.

"I - "

"Back off Sheila." Kurt's voice came from behind him, where he was leaning on the chain link fence, cigarette hanging from his lips, eyes narrowed at the two girls on the couch. "Tell her about your latest trucker or something Mack."

"What's he doing here?" Mack, at least Blaine assumed she was Mack, dragged her eyes up his body, upper lip curled back.

"Nothing to do with you is it?" Kurt raised an eyebrow, almost daring the girls to say anything. Rolling eyes in sync they stood up, "Whatever, we're getting a Big Mac, want?"

"No." The girls left, glaring at Blaine as the passed him, causing him to shrink back slightly. Kurt chuckled quietly, pushing off the fence and sauntering over to the couch, throwing his lean body onto the far side of it and smirking up at Blaine. "I'll be honest; I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Blaine rubbed the back of neck lightly, "so soon?"

"Everyone needs someone to talk to Anderson, but I would've thought you'd stay away until it reached breaking point." Kurt titled his head, a softer look taking over as he flicked the ash off his cigarette and exhaled a stream of thick smoke from his nose and gestured to the seat next to him. "You seem like the kind that suffers in silence."

"How'd you figure that?" He felt his feet walking towards the boy before he'd given them permission to do so. Kurt nodded smiling more than smirking now, though it was a tiny one.

Blue eyes followed him as he sat, running lightly over him before settling on his face. He bit his lip in amusement. "Lucky guess." Another drag on the cigarette.

"You said you could distract me, not like that!" Kurt snorted lightly, hands raised in mock surrender.

"Okay! So what am I providing my distraction services for?" The light smile disappeared slowly, "Karofsky's not done anything today has he?" Blaine shook his head. "Normal Neanderthal dick heads then?"

It was Blaine's turn to snort, "yeah, normal stuff."

"Well, until we get a principle that doesn't have his head permanently up his ass when it comes to shit like this, we're on our own." Kurt stubbed his cigarette our angrily. "Douche bag makes out like he's on our side but he's not. No one really is, after all," he put on a mocking tone "it's his words against yours. Every man for himself in this place."

"Sounds extremely healthy." Blaine found himself resenting his parents just a little bit for pulling him out of his safe haven due to 'finance issues'.

"Yep, but the bright side is I have an amazing sense of self-preservation after three years in this place." Kurt pulled a face, "well, I'm calling it the bright side."

"It's not a bad thing."

"No, but it's not something that's supposed to be gradually beaten into you is it? Sadly until people like us get out of places like this, that's all we've got."

Blaine turned to stare at the skank who wasn't paying attention to him, but staring at the fields that stretched out from the back of the school towards the highway. "Isn't that a bit pessimistic?"

"Maybe." Kurt's eyes were still fixed on the horizon. "I like to think of it as realistic. There is nothing that will stop me from leaving this place as soon as I graduate...what about you?"

Kurt's head snapped to meet his, lips pulling up in one corner, sunlight glinting off his hair and the metal dotted around his ears. He flicked his tongue bar against his lips when Blaine just stared at him, forehead slightly creased in confusion. "Blaine?"

"Wha - oh yeah, um I've got another year after this to figure that out."

Kurt snorted again, raising his pierced brow sceptically. "Bullshit. I had my escape out of here planned out by the time I was twelve. It's been in fine tuning over the years but it's still the same foundation. Graduate and get the fuck out of Ohio and go to New York. If it weren't for my family I'd already be gone; graduation can happen anywhere."

"You'd...stay for Finn?" Blaine's voice went up at the end, he'd honestly got the impression that the two step-brothers weren't the closest, not that he could judge from his own relationship with his 'big brother'.

Kurt let out a harsh laugh, eyes dark, "Screw Finn, I meant my dad, Q and Beth. Dad's all I've had since I was eight, and Q was there for me when it mattered most." He let out another mocking laugh and leant back against the couch, "whoever said you can't pick your family was a fucking moron. Family isn't just blood Blaine."

The bell rang shrilly in the background, Blaine looked behind himself standing up and dusting himself off. Kurt stood up and stretched, his pale gray henley lifting enough to show a sliver of highly toned stomach, Blaine got a brief impression of dark swirls of ink before the cotton dropped back to just below his jeans waist. Clearing his throat Blaine made a show of checking he had everything before biting his lip turning away from the other boy to head back towards the main building.

Kurt kept up with him easily he noticed, probably due to the inches he had on him Blaine mused. He tried not to think about everything as they headed in the direction of Blaine's locker, but he couldn't help wondering why Kurt was walking by his side, eyes sliding over everyone who stared at them like he didn't see them while Blaine couldn't help biting his bottom lip slightly at all the added attention he was getting on top of being the 'new kid'.

Both boys stopped once they reached Blaine's locker, Kurt suddenly looking a lot less sure of himself than he had been throughout lunch. His hand ruffled the back of his head in what Blaine would have sworn was a nervous habit, one Kurt clearly did without realising because he dropped his hand as soon as he noticed. Opting to break the slightly awkward silence Blaine opened his locker to grab his books for his last class and sheet music for glee club, waiting for Kurt to say something.

"Thank you."

Blaine blinked. "What, why?"

"You saved me a lunch hour spent listening to Mack describe her latest hook up in great detail; trucker's aren't really my type." He seemed to have got a small part of his confidence back because he added a wink to the end, smiling a little bit when Blaine did.

"You're...welcome? I think." Blaine shifted as the second bell rang; he'd never been late to class since his second year at Dalton, but he wanted to stay and talk to Kurt. The more time he spent with the skank the more he liked what he saw.

Kurt rolled his eyes and playfully shoved Blaine away from the lockers. "Go on, wouldn't want you to be late."

Blaine smiled in thanks and turned to leave, offering a small wave, holding back his happy dance when he got one back. "Hey Blaine," Kurt's voice carried after, making him turn slightly to see the other boy walking slowly backwards, eyes on him. "I'm glad you took me up on my offer." With another wink Kurt turned around and strolled off around a corner leaving Blaine with a slightly goofy grin on his face. He'd spoken to Kurt, he'd held a conversation that didn't occur after a run in with a bully and where he didn't stutter or get caught staring.

Still grinning he headed off to his Biology class not caring for once if he wasn't bang on time.

At the other end of the corridor Kurt was smiling to himself too as he headed to his French class to meet Quinn. Blaine made the effort to come and talk to him, despite clearly not being comfortable in 'skank territory' he'd sought Kurt out. Maybe it was because of Kurt's offer to distract him from the bullying or be there for when he wanted to talk. In fact it most definitely was but Kurt let himself hold onto that tiny piece of his mind that hoped it was because the other boy liked him in spite of his looks and reputation.

Kurt didn't normally let himself hope about boys anymore, he hadn't for over a year, but the signs were all pointing towards Blaine liking him (as a friend at least) so he figured a little bit of hope wouldn't hurt. He just wouldn't make a move; at least until he found out for sure if Blaine played on his team or not.


	7. Chapter 6

"Why are you smiling so much?" Kurt could practically feel her eyes burning a hole into his neck.

"I'm...sorry?"

"Seriously, you never smile like this." Kurt kept his back to his friend, focussing on Mr Robinson's Jag for the last time for the next few months.

"Kurt!" A half-full water bottle slammed in between his shoulders causing him to whip around to face his best friend, who's eyes widened as she pointed to the toddler sitting in her lap.

"Nice Q; blame your baby. Solid parenting right there."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Puck's teaching her to play catch; it must be his influence."

Kurt made sure Beth was content playing her teddy bear before he flipped of her mother - the last thing he needed was for Beth to copy him and lead to a beating by her parents. Mainly Quinn - Puck would probably tear up a little bit due to his "baby badass" as he like to call her when Quinn wasn't around to hear him.

"C'moooooon, tell meeee." Quinn whined, Beth looked up at Kurt at her mother's tone, he swore she was raising her tiny eyebrows at him. Almost as if to ask what on Earth her mother was doing.

"It's okay honey; daddy and uncle Kurt will get mommy help when she goes crazy."

Quinn huffed, shifting Beth to her other leg as she sat cross legged on one of the work benches. Kurt smirked at her sour expression and turned back to the Jag's engine. "Oh my God...oh my fucking God!"

"When Beth starts swearing I am so saying 'I told you so' to you and Puck." He didn't even bother turning around this time, just shot her a look, snorting a little bit at her face. "You're gonna catch flies Q."

"Oh my God." Kurt rolls his, wipes his grease covered hands on his white tank top, before leaning back over the Jag.

"Yes, we've already said that Quinnie." This time instead of a water bottle she stretches as far as she can with Beth still in her arms to poke his ass sharply with the toe of her boot.

"Okay," Kurt picks up one of the dirty rags next to him and throws it at her, landing it on her arm, "we really need to talk about all the violence! At this rate Beth is going to grow up thinking it's normal for me and Puck to get beat up by girls all the time!"

"Shut up, no one cares right now! You manned up!" The smile on the girls face looks manic; Kurt almost wants to back up slowly.

"I feel like I should be offended, I er, I don't quite know how to take that." Finished with the car at last Kurt slams the hood down and wipes his hands down again on a cleaner rag as he walks to the sink, unfortunately, within Quinn's hitting range.

Thankfully she refrains from further hitting, Kurt would think that was due to her feeling bad for constantly smacking him when she's...well whenever she's feeling any strong emotion really...but Beth has turned around and is attempting to climb her mother. He almost wants to high five the baby for ensuring Q can't pinch him or something.

"You totally talked to Bowtie!"

"I'm not following...you were there, you know I talked to him!"

Quinn rolls her eyes and winces as Beth digs an elbow into her stomach. "Ow, Beth baby careful please...I mean you spoke to him outside of being Kurt-the-friendly-badass."

Kurt glares at her, "Cute."

"I thought so, you've so had more than one conversation with him. One that didn't revolve around that asshole." She mouthed the last word. They're supposed to be cutting down on swearing around Beth now she's talking. It's taking a bit of time. "My baby's all grown up!"

"Your baby is still a baby." Quinn narrowed her eyes at him, sneer in place.

"Stop being difficult. You manned up and grew a pair didn't you?" Kurt dried his hands, refused to answer, and picked up Beth instead. "You spoke to him, without waiting around for him to come to you didn't you? Please tell me you're no longer burying your head in the sand about his level of gayness? Dude flies a rainbow flag harder than anyone I've seen since you when we were sixteen."

Kurt bounced Beth lightly, slowly lowering her backwards so she was almost upside down screaming with baby giggles, laughing quietly along with her, before flipping her back up quickly and repeating the process. He swore flinging the hyperactive child around for the last year or so was the main reason behind his defined muscles more than using the treadmill his dad kept in their basement.

"Kurt."

Still doing everything to ensure Beth kept laughing Kurt let himself look over to his friend, who now wore a frown instead of a giddy (if slightly terrifying) smile. "Look, I admitted to you that I thought he was hot okay? I still do. But I just think the kid needs a friend; and not like the ones in glee, he needs someone who's going to get it and not give him some bullshit advice about 'singing about it' or 'it gets better'. Cause it doesn't Q, not yet, not in this cow town. I went to hell and back last year, and yeah I had you and Puck to stop me doing anything too stupid."

Beth patted his jaw lightly; her giggles fading into hiccoughs as she wrapped her chubby arms around his neck, letting him cuddle her close, one hand supporting her and the other running up and down her back. Whether it was soothing her more than him Kurt didn't know. "I can't let Karofsky torment another kid okay, I just I can't."

Quinn tilted her head to the side, eyes wide and unblinking as they watched him hug the baby, Beth seemingly giving him more comfort than Kurt was giving her as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"So that's it? You're, what, going to ignore that you like him - don't you dare Hummel I know you, you like him, even if it's just a little bit."

Kurt sighed; a tiny lopsided smile appearing as Beth lightly traced patterns on the shoulder her head was resting on. "I'm going to do what I promised. I'll be there when he needs someone to bitch too about how unfair life is, or when he wants a distraction and to not think about school or glee or, I don't know."

He turned to face her full on, smile now replaced with an almost lost expression, "I am not letting Karofsky near him. I'm not letting him ruin Blaine." Passing a subdued Beth back to Quinn Kurt began to gather up his things in order to drive them all back to his and tell Burt he was finished with Mr Robinson's car. "_I'm not going to ruin him_." He added under his breath, Q unable to hear him while she carried Beth over to his Navigator.

For the most part, keeping Karofsky away from Blaine was relatively simple. Simple in the sense that most time Kurt only needed to be seen with Blaine for most of the school to understand that if you messed with him, then you automatically messed with Kurt. Quinn also seemed to be taking an interest in him adding her own protection; she even called him Blaine or Anderson as opposed to the previous 'Bowtie'. For Karofsky he added on glares and vague (and often unsaid) threats, being near the football player still terrified Kurt but apparently his acting skills were far better than he bargained for; only Quinn could tell and that's only because she knows the whole story.

Kurt was actually thankful for his new role; it gave him the perfect excuse for hanging around the new kid with the bowties and perfect ass without telling anyone about his, he wouldn't call it a crush if only because it was so much more than that now. Three weeks and he was beginning to realise that the more he spent time with Blaine or spoke to him he liked him a little bit more. He even found the constant 'happy-go-lucky' outlook the boy had on pretty much everything adorable rather than annoying.

Blaine seemed to be unaware of Kurt's self-proclaimed status as his bodyguard and of his feelings.

Quinn however wasn't letting up, she'd moved back in with her mom for the time being as her dad was gone again, but it didn't seem to prevent her being at his house non-stop. It also didn't stop her teasing him and dropping "subtle" hints around Blaine. He's pretty sure if he didn't adore the ex-cheerleader, or have a moral code wherein smacking a girl is wrong no matter what, he'd probably push her into a locker or punch her shoulder to shut her up. Like he did with Puck. It's probably a good thing Blaine is hopelessly (adorably) oblivious.

"He likes you too you know." A blur of pink and greyscale popped up in front of Kurt's face, manic smile upside down due to his laid down position on their couch.

"What?" Quinn lifted his legs and sat herself down with them on her lap before stealing his cigarette, immune the to the his glare and curse.

"Blaine, Anderson with the great Ass, likes you. You do realise all of this would be avoided if you'd have just asked him if he likes dick right?"

Kurt stared at her for a second before huffing and closing his eyes. "I'm not asking a kid if he 'likes dick' as you so eloquently put it. I've come to accept that he is gay happy?"

"No, not happy, why aren't you tapping that if you admit it then? Don't you dare give me any crap about not being good enough or I'll kick you in the balls."

"Nice, why am I friends with you again?"

Quinn pinched his leg sharply to get him to look at her. "Kurt."

"Fine, yes I know he's gay, but only because we ended up talking about Spiderman and he's got the biggest boner for Andrew Garfield ever, way more than a normal 'man crush'...that and I found him reading Vogue the other day in the library and he didn't try to hide it. Doesn't mean anything."

"It means you can finally ask the kid out numb-nuts."

"It means he likes boys, it doesn't mean he likes me."

"Are you deaf now too? Is there something I missed when I just told you he wants you back?" Quinn was frowning at him.

"I'm sorry, I forgot we were back in eighth grade where I had to use a friend to find out if he likes me."

"I didn't say anything for fucks sake, I noticed things. Like how he is constantly checking you out, he blushes if you say something remotely forward or flirty annnnd he is the one who sought you out."

Kurt ignored her, content to go back to his daydreams of said boy. Yes he liked him; yes he would definitely like to see him naked. And if it was just that then Kurt would go for it, he's not above admitting to himself that if Blaine was only ever going to be a one time thing then he'd go for it. But he can't because Blaine wouldn't be a one time only deal. He's the kind of boy his dad would love, the kind Kurt would want to take to a crappy dinner at Breadstix and not let him pay. The kind that Kurt can seem himself falling for because he's perfect in all the right ways - even when he's not.

And Kurt can't do that. Because he's not...not anymore. Maybe a year ago, if they'd met in time Kurt would have jumped at the chance, he would fawn over the other boy. Maybe they'd be together and be happy and not let anything hold them back. But it's not last year, last year did happen and Kurt is fucked up, and he can't let himself fall for Blaine. It'll only end up in tears for both of them.

So Kurt will let himself be Blaine's friend, he's pretty sure he can call Blaine that now, it's been three weeks and they talk everyday, even if it's just through text. He's almost proud of himself for making that move.

Not that he asked for Blaine's number, no he sent him a text instead that said _Hi, It's Kurt, stole Finn's phone for you number, figured it's easier that way than hoping to run into to each other or risking coming to bleachers if me or Q isn't there_.

Kurt even saved Blaine's reply of just a smiley face. There's not reason why he would've done that except that it made him smile because Blaine didn't care that he had his number now. A number he used often to send Kurt random thoughts and quotes throughout the day. He'd spent all of Saturday texting him Harry Potter book quotes while he worked.

His dad and Finn kept side eyeing him every time he let out a laugh or snort if they were ridiculous. The odd thing was that he didn't care. He didn't even tell Finn to fuck off. He just ignored it and carried on working, looking forward to those texts.

He should be horrified at how Anderson is slowly sneaking his way under Kurt's skin. He should want to blank him like he does with the large majority of McKinley's population. But then again he's always had trouble being outright mean or bitchy to someone so sweet. He still talks to Tina Mike and Britt. Sometime even Santana too, if only because he admires how she owns the fact that she's a bitch.

The bell for next period rang out in the background, Kurt groaned at the bought of getting up but they were starting a new project and he was hoping to grab Blaine as his partner. He didn't need the help - he could easily do it alone but he's only ever done projects alone in this class. Quinn only being in his Art, History and European Geography class. Blaine's the next best thing; possibly a little bit better if he's being honest with himself.

Grumbling to himself he swung his legs off of Q's lap and stood up stretching his arms above his head. He re-arranged his grey beanie and the thick denim shirt he was using as a jacket (it's colder but not cold enough for a coat just yet) before kissing Quinn's forehead.

"Ask him out Hummel!" he flipped her off over his head as he trudged towards class.

Blaine was already there when he took his seat next to him. "You really need to stop smoking."

Kurt pulled a face as he got his things out. "I need to do a lot of things. Some are easier said than done; smoking is one of those things." he pulled his shirt off next to show the Rolling Stones vest he had on, "I'm trying, we both are for Beth mainly but ya know..."

Turning to look at the younger boy as he rest of the class filled in he held back a slightly smug smile. "It's no where near finished."

"Wha?" Blaine tore his eyes away from Kurt's upper arm to look at the other boy instead. Kurt's grin widened.

"The tattoo, it's not done yet. I'm going to keep adding to it until it's a sleeve."

"Like your entire arm?"

Kurt shrugged, "Maybe, I might just have it as a half sleeve or go three quarters down."

Blaine's golden eyes returned back to studying the artwork on his arm. Visually tracing over the design. "Did it hurt much?"

Again Kurt shrugged, "Only in certain parts. Arm's not so bad really, the underside hurts like a bitch but there are worse places."

"It's beautiful." Amber eyes met blue-grey almost hesitant.

Kurt raised his eyebrows as if to say 'go on', "Does it mean anything?"

Blinking Kurt fumbled over his words again, thanking every god he didn't believe in that he managed not to blush. "This one does yeah." twisting so he could see his upper arm and should Kurt pulled back the sleeve of his top a few inches, "the bird on the branch is for my mom. You know the Beatles song 'Blackbird'? It was her favourite." he pointed to the bird sitting on a branch that came across the top of his shoulder, it looks almost ready to take flight with broken looking feathers swirling around below it, melting into the rest of the tattoo. He traced his finger lower onto the top part of his arm to where an antique looking photo frame sat empty "You are not allowed to tell anyone about this bit okay? Me and Puck got tattooed over the summer, I was moral support but decided to get it added when he got Beth's name and date of birth done. I figured I could get it filled in when I have kids."

"You want kids?" Blaine didn't necessarily look surprised just curious.

"Yeah, I love Beth and I don't know I never really thought about it at first. Didn't seem like an option but yeah, one day I want kids. God knows why cause I've seen Beth throw some truly immense tantrums." Kurt cleared his throat and changed topic to a less heavy one, "the flowers are symbolic for some and the others are my mom's mine and Quinn's favourites. Those I'll admit to getting because it looked cool and only thought of adding meanings when I wanted more added." he didn't twist his arm around to show Blaine the vintage lock and key. It didn't so much as have a meaning but to him it was symbolic.

"I'm booked to get more done next week if you want to come."

Blaine smiled brightly, "Okay, if your sure. How many do you have?" he whispered the last part as their teacher walked in and began assigning partners.

Kurt winked at him before whispering back "That's for me to know and you to find out." before he turned back to face the front of the room, chuckling at the almost pouty look on Blaine's face.

Kurt smiled victoriously when Ms Mesher let them pick their own partners, only changing then if she saw fit. Kurt supposed he was lucky that the eccentric young teacher seemed to love him although she hated when he skipped, so he tried not to. Blaine being in the class only serving as part of the reason he's began showing up to every class...he wants to graduate as well.

"Alright, guys shut up for a moment, as you know this semester our topic is 'love'" half the class (mainly the boys) groaned, "calm down boys, that does not mean we're only going to look at Romantic love! I expect you've all read or nearly read Enduring Love...if you haven tough cause you're about to do your first presentation. Their all due in week after next and each of you will be handed a different type of love to look at!"

"Like what?!" one of the hockey jocks from the middle yelled. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Like the fact that there's a stalker. That's not romantic is it? Okay..." she began randomly pointing to pairs and giving them a genre, "Kurt, Blaine I want you two to do obsessive love."

Smiling to himself, he'd already read the book and the different briefs they were give last week. Blaine seemed happy with it too. "There's tons we can say on obsession in this! So his do you want to do this?"

"We could do it together? It saves us always calling each other to find out what the other one has finished or needs to do. Umm my shifts at the garage are on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's and every other Saturday so unless your busy on the other days, in which case we can figure something out."

"Umm I can't do Tuesday's and Monday's."

After agreeing on Thursday's at Blaine's and Monday's with him at the garage and hen going back to Kurt's they spent the rest of the lesson discussing Snow White and the Huntsmen. Mainly on if Chris Hemsworth was hotter in that or as Thor.

When the bell rang they were still disagreeing, "Blaine he was not hotter as The Huntsman. Sorry but no, maybe just as hot but not hotter." he would have gone on but at that moment Blaine grabbed his arm, thumb grazing his tattoo as he tripped over his bag while laughing at Kurt. Kurt's natural instinct was to grab the shorter boy around his waist.

He froze as Blaine blushed lightly, face stupidly close to his own. I could kiss him if I really wanted. He didn't. Instead he squeezed Blaine's tiny waist. Blaine shucked his feat while Kurt looked away and cleared his throat.

"Umm thanks for that; could've been really embarrassing."

Now what he should have done was told him it was nothing, made sure he okay, let go and left for French not "What would you do without me to catch you?" followed by a wink and another not-so-subtle squeeze of Blaine's hips.

The junior blushed and stuttered out a thanks before rushing off to his next class. Kurt's eyes widened at the butterflies in his stomach.

Well shit.


	8. Chapter 7

He's not entirely sure how this happened. He should be able to resist a kind beautiful boy. He's done it before. He's done it drunk and in Columbus. He might be a skank but he doesn't want to loose it the dingy men's room of a gay club. He still has some class; it's deep down and hard to find but still there. Enough that he won't fuck a guy in a public toilet anyway.

And yet there is something about that boy, in all his horrifically-gelled-hair glory that Kurt just wants to be near. Always. And that's terrifying. Because he's just shy of eighteen and the last proper 'crush' he had was on his moronic step-brother. Who he liked because he was nice, and deep down it was safe to like Finn; he never had to act on being gay, never stood a chance.

And that was okay; it represented safety, they could call him a fag but as long as he was single he'd clung to the notion that it could be worse but he wouldn't have to find out how much. Of course he was sixteen and stupidly naive back then.

Sometimes Kurt thinks he rather hates how cynical and jaded he can get.

A year or so ago, maybe, Kurt wouldn't think twice about having feelings a boy in button ups and bowties or polos. Clearly being one of the schools rebels doesn't alter his taste in men he has a chance with. Blaine's not exactly what he pictured his first crush that had a fifty-fifty chance of going somewhere to be like, he's a tiny bit smaller, a hell of a lot more gelled but kind of perfect. He doesn't even care about any imperfections.

Which is odd because Kurt can be judgemental bitch. He owns that, it's part of his armour. It kept pretty much everyone except the jocks away. Now it keeps everyone away, but that's possibly due to the ink, metal, clothes and hair. Something even most of Glee club stay clear of.

If people who claimed to have been some of his closest friends hardly dared to come near him and Q now then why did a new kid? Even before Kurt 'rescued' him from Karofsky he never seemed anything other than curious. Which made a nice change.

Quinn was not helping in his attempt to stop wanting more than friendship from him. He gave up trying to ignore wanting to jump Blaine every time he saw him based on how hot the younger boy was. It didn't seem logical but he can try not to act on it.

Kurt should also not be fighting the urge to snoop around said boys bedroom while waiting for him to come back with some drinks and snacks. It's their first time meeting up for their project. He had to admit Blaine's room is simultaneously nothing like what he'd expected but one hundred percent Blaine. Maybe Kurt had been imagining an abundance of bowties and deck shoes. He hadn't pictured the vintage coat rack, or the random collection of trinkets dotted around the boys dark blue room. But it suited him perfectly...and his bed was unbelievably comfy.

He was debating moving from his seated position to test if it was just as wonderful fully reclined but Blaine walked in.

Kurt jumped almost guiltily, mentally smacking himself because he had no fucking reason to be jumpy, he went to open his mouth but paused at the look on Blaine's face. The ten thousand watt smile he was used to seeing, and couldn't decide if he loved or hated, was replaced by an almost blank look. He wasn't frowning but stared at the coke cans and food in his hands, as if he was confused about how it had got there.

"Hey..."

Blaine shook his head a little, like he was clearing water from his ears. "We should, umm, get started on this thing shouldn't we?"

Kurt frowned as he began to fuss with their snacks before moving onto his already organised school supplies at the foot of his bed. His hands were trembling, only noticeable because of how closely Kurt was watching.

"Okay, no," He moved forward slightly and grabbed Blaine's hands. Amber eyes snapped up; wide and glassy.

"Blaine, what's wrong?" Kurt ducked his head down to keep looking in the other boys eyes.

"Nothing, we just really need -"

"Fuck the project, it's not even due for another two weeks remember? It can wait."

"I'm fine I promise."

"Bullshit." He squeezed the still shaky hands for emphasis, Blaine bit his lip so Kurt glanced around the room and changed tactics. "What do you need?"

That seemed to get the other boys attention more than 'are you okay?' but from Kurt's experience 'are you okay' is completely pointless and 'what's wrong' is far too easy to say 'nothing' to.

"I don't know."

"Okay," he tugged Blaine down to sit next to him, vaguely noticing he was still clutching both of Blaine's hands, "what the hell happened? You were fine when we got here..."

"My, er, my parents are home."

"And that's a bad thing becaaaaause..."

"Kurt it's fine, honest, I'm used to it." He blinked roughly, hands held by Kurt curling into fists.

"It's clearly not fine-" he would have gone on but a woman who he assumed was Blaine's mother walked past the open door, did a small double take at Kurt's appearance but that wasn't what seemed to cause a look of mild disgust on her face which was already there from her eyes landing in their joint hands before traveling up them to see Kurt.

Blaine tensed causing Kurt to shoot him a concerned look before it began to click into place. He got up, gave his mother a mockingly polite smile and shut the door the rest of the way. Blaine seemed to be barely holding himself together as Kurt went and knelt down at his feet, one hand tilting his face up to look at him.

"What do you need?"

Blaine didn't technically answer, he blinked back a few tears, looked away and shrugged. Looking back towards the door Kurt fiddled with his tongue bar, he could almost feel the...disapproval...through the thick wood. Standing, he took Blaine's hands again (he might just be starting to love the feel of them, just a tiny bit smaller than his own but a perfect fit) and pulled him up before going to his closest and throwing together several outfits. He completely ignored Blaine's confused look as he walked into the boys en suite and grabbed his shower bits and some pots from the sink, before grabbing his school bag too and chucking it to Blaine, "Get your shit for school tomorrow."

"What-why?"

"I told you, you could come to me when something happened, I didn't just mean Karofsky Blaine, you can come to me whenever you need to."

"I don't, I don't understand?"

"You clearly need to get away for a bit; we're going out." Kurt picked up a battered sports bag that had Dalton printed on the side in red to throw the things he'd piled on the bed into it. "So it's up to you, we can walk out the front door or," he threw a quick glance to Blaine's window, "We can climb out the window."

Blaine looked like he wanted to argue but took one look at the closed door flicked his eyes to Kurt and the two bags in his hands and bit his lip. "Window."

It was easier to climb down than Kurt thought it would be, certainly much easier than from his room where he has a drainpipe to shimmy down. Getting in has to be done through his front door. Blaine's house is almost perfect for teenage deviants sneaking in or out; a small ledge (Blaine says it's part of the roof) as the lower level sticks out a few feet. They only have to lower themselves onto the tiles quietly, shuffle to the edge, drop the bags and either jump (Kurt) or shimmy down the nearest drainpipe (Blaine).

Once they're down Kurt leads the way to his Navigator, throws Blaine's stuff in the back and holds the passenger door open for the junior. Blaine seems like the type to appreciate gentlemanly gestures so Kurt figures it can only help him stay in Blaine's good books.

They didn't talk again until Kurt had started the car and began the drive back towards Lima. "How comes you're at McKinley then? Don't think I didn't notice the fancy Dalton memorabilia."

The question, while simple and perfectly innocent in Kurt's mind seemed to open flood gates to Blaine. "Supposedly it's because of the money. Tuition at Dalton is steep if you don't have a scholarship of some kind...I er, I transferred there middle of my freshman year." His hands that had finally stopped shaking as they snuck out started again. Only this time Kurt felt confident it was due to anger.

"There was another boy at my old school that was out. He was a sophomore. So just after I came out we decided to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance together as friends because why shouldn't we? We had just as much right, we didn't even fucking dance or touch or anything and, um, when we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, these three guys on the football team beat the living crap out of us."

Blaine turned his glassy amber eyes to Kurt before they each looked back to the road. "They came out of nowhere. I was in hospital for a while."

He shrugged, "I transferred as soon as I got out. Parents found out I was gay and decided instead of commuting over an hour every day I should be shipped off to board there. Best thing they ever did for me."

He was staring out of the passenger window with unseeing eyes, Kurt averted his out of some weird sense of privacy while he slowed the car, he was pretty sure as soon as they stopped Blaine would too.

"McKinley is supposed to help me man up." Blaine's fists clenched again, "He never said those exact words but..."

"That was what he meant."

"Yeah," Blaine blinked roughly, "Like I'm somehow less of a man 'cause I like boys. He told me it would be good for me to get out into real world again, you know, see what it's all like for 'people like you son' then he said I could get just as good an education here than somewhere he has to pay to ensure my safety."

As the car rolled to a stop Blaine turned to face Kurt, golden hued eyes slightly damp, "When I woke up in the hospital, he asked if I'd had the sense knocked back into me."

Kurt wasn't entirely sure what to say to that. There was a large part that wanted to drive back to Blaine's house and punch his father in the face but that didn't seem like what Blaine needed right now. "C'mon," he opened his door and climbed down.

Blaine was staring with furrowed brows out the windscreen so he walked around open the passenger side, holding it open for the other boy. Once Blaine got out he turned to the skank, "You'll see."

Kurt shut the door and moved to open the trunk, grabbing a battered old sport duffle he used to use for cheerleading and, however brief, football. He smirked when Blaine's triangle shaped eyebrows rose at the clinking from within. Grabbing his messenger bag he up ended his school supplies into the trunk and pulled out a six pack of beer to replace his books. Slamming the trunk door he turned to Blaine, quirked the brow with the silver bar bell, and began to walk into the derelict park towards the rusty climbing frame with missing monkey bars.

He used to come here as a kid, tarmac still marks the places where swings, roundabouts and slides once stood, it was always slowly falling apart but for some reason it was never fixed up. A newer fancier playground was built a few blocks over instead despite the swing set and climbing frame that stubbornly refuse to be torn down no matter how broken or rust covered they are.

Kurt makes a beeline to the climbing frame, chucking his bag up and hoisting himself onto the platform half way up, the one with a fireman's pole that used to be bright sunshine yellow but is now more metal than paint. Blaine's leant against it looking up at him.

"I'm going to distract you."

"With beer."

"With cheap beer," he added with a sage nod; it felt like the right thing to do. He offered a hand down to Blaine, grabbed the forearm offered to him, and fuck were those nice arms, and hauled him up next to him. "Want one?"

Blaine looked between him and the glass bottle that Kurt was opening using his lighter, muttering about Puck and his fucking bottle opener stealing ways, bastard. Blaine's hand shot out to take a bottle as if he wasn't sure what his arm was doing. Kurt smiled slightly and handed it to him, opened his own and clinked the bottlenecks together.

"So how does drinking help me?"

"Clearly you do not know any alcoholics my friend. Supposedly it can do wonders for your issues."

He chuckled darkly but winked at the other boy, pleased that it still brought a blush to Blaine's cheeks.

"Just drink, you'll get what we're doing soon."

Soon turned out to be when Kurt had finished his beer. He stood up on the platform, squinted at the horizon, drew his arm back and hurled the glass towards it. Blaine looked impressed at the distance he achieved. Kurt was too, if the self-satisfied smirk didn't give it away.

"Your turn."

It took his second smashed bottle before Kurt knew that Blaine got it, his throw was harder, more anger filled. He couldn't hit his dad. Not without some serious repercussions. And he definitely couldn't hit his mom. But he could smash the shit out of some bottles in a deserted park with a boy with purple hair who he should probably avoid but didn't.

"How are we getting wherever we're going next?" They were walking to the car, close enough that their hands kept brushing.

Kurt smiled across at him as they reached the car, opening the back seats to give Blaine his things, getting his own scattered books from the trunk as well as a steering wheel lock. Once it was fitted he shut and locked his baby, took Blaine's bag with clothes and other crap for tonight in, because he reckons he can do this gentleman shit. Maybe only for his Fabray girls and Blaine though. It seems to be working in his favour if Blaine's smile is anything to go by.

"We're going to mine, my parents are gone for a long weekend somewhere." He added when Blaine bit his lip. Kurt idly wondered if he'd either ever stop wanting to do that for him, or if he ever would actually have the pleasure.

"You can't stay at yours okay? Not tonight, not while they're making you feel like shit. So we're going to mine, and we'll get the car in the morning - I don't live far - and go to school and we'll figure the rest out there."

They were at his road now, he could see his empty drive, it wasn't too late, barely half past nine...Finn must be with Berry. Blaine was eerily quiet as they reached his front door, Kurt dumped the bags he was holding, re-locked the front door and started towards the kitchen. By the time Blaine sat at the island Kurt was making grilled cheese sandwiches, not the kind Finn makes with pre-sliced burger cheese but three different kinds and a salad.

"We can eat this upstairs." He jerked his head to get Blaine to follow him; he still hadn't said a word since stepping in the house. Kurt handed him one of the plates, grabbing the two abandoned bags in the hall before trudging upstairs to his room. His room that he thankfully still keeps clean and tidy - he'd be mortified if he was like Finn and left his underwear and dirty socks lying around for all to see.

He chucked the bags down by his desk and placed his down on top of it, Blaine's appearing soon after.

He was about to start some small talk if only to get the shorter of the two talking again when said boy grabbed his arm, spun him around and hurled himself into his arms. Kurt started, not quite sure what to do with his arms at first, letting them hang uselessly for a moment before he wrapped them around Blaine's shoulders, only just resisting the urge to bury his nose in Blaine's gelled curls that now resided in the crook between his shoulder and neck. "Thank you."

Kurt's not entirely sure what he's being thanked for so he just holds Blaine tighter to his chest and hums softly into his forehead.

"Sometimes I hate them...They're never even there and when they are it's like they only either ignore me or make side little fucking comments about 'my life choices'." His hands ball up into the back of Kurt's top and he presses himself harder into Kurt's collar bone.

"No offence but it sounds like you have really shitty parents."

Blaine let out a sound half way between a laugh and a sob as he nodded vigorously against Kurt's neck; his heart broke a little bit at the dampness he could feel there. Pulling back slowly, hands on either side of Blaine's face making sure he could look into his watery eyes.

"Okay, we're going eat, get ready for bed and then we're going to watch a shit load of comedies."

"How funny are we talking here?"

Kurt wandered over to his DVDs, "I'm feeling something like Scary Movie. Something you don't have to concentrate on much."

Blaine smiled slightly and nodded. "Sounds good."

They ended up watching the first Scary Movie and Get Him To The Greek before they heard Finn slam the front door, Kurt stood up to shut and lock (his step-brother has no concept of knocking) his bedroom door for some privacy. It was awkward enough changing into something 'appropriate' to sleep in that wasn't just his boxers while Blaine was in the room, he didn't need to add Finn to that mix. He settled on a tight top and cut-off sweatpants. Blaine was in pretty much the same except with full length pants and a tank. He had to admit he wasn't put out at all by the junior's arms being on show.

Turning back around he tried not to moan a little at the sight of Blaine reclined back against his pillows, his eyes trailed up Blaine's body without his express permission. He was extremely proud of himself for not blushing when he realised Blaine was watching him too, biting his full bottom lip again.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Ever. Kurt wasn't supposed to meet someone he could feasibly be with until college, until New York in a shitty apartment with Q and maybe Puck. He wasn't supposed to notice the new kid, after that he was only meant to admire from afar. Not stand up for him, certainly not get to know or befriend him. He was supposed to get the hell out of dodge with Quinn and Puck, then maybe he'd find a boyfriend in a city where it was safer to be different. He was not supposed to start falling for Blaine Anderson.

So far almost everything Kurt has told himself to not do in regards to Blaine he's gone against so he's almost unsurprised by how his screaming mind makes no difference at all when it comes to the boy spread out on his bed.

He crosses the room and climbs back into the bed, only tensing the tiniest bit it in surprise when Blaine's head drops sleepily onto his chest, body curling into his as he drapes his arm around him.

Kurt can't even concentrate enough to see what film they've put in now; he's far too busy trying not to freak out about Blaine being pretty much wrapped around him. For all his changes in attitude and physicality (puberty is to thank as well) he's apparently still hopelessly romantic and will freak out mentally when the boy he likes is pretty much glued to his side.

He's not sure what to do - does he leave his arm where it is? Pull Blaine in tighter? He knows he should relax but that is easier said than done. He settles for trying to slow his racing heartbeat, ignoring the fucking butterflies and slowly letting himself relax into the pillows and Blaine.

It was working, he no longer felt like his heart was going to jump out of chest or that he might be sick due to all the fluttering in his stomach. At least that was until Blaine yawned and nuzzled down further.

"I can get the mattress out for me and let you sleep if you want?" Kurt found himself whispering, not content to disturb the other teen.

Blaine shook his head and gripped tighter, head tipping back to stare at him sleepily. "Stay, ish your be-bed."

"I'm not making you sleep on the floor Anderson."

Again Blaine shook his head golden eyes staring up into his own glasz ones. "Stay."

Kurt's not sure what made him do it. He doubts he'll ever know what possessed him, if it was Blaine's eyes, sleepy pleading, his body crushed tight to Kurt's or a mixture of all three but he snapped.

There is only so much tension the human mind can take before something happens to tip the balance. Kurt knows this; he's far too acquainted with the way things can end badly after the balance, delicate already, tips. But even that doesn't stop him from reaching across himself to stroke Blaine's face and hair lightly, cupping his cheek when the other boy hums happily. He smiles a little shyly up at the skank and Kurt's heart suddenly picks up double time.

His thumb still tracing mindless patterns into Blaine's cheek, Kurt leans in slowly and places his lips onto Blaine's in a lazy kiss. Its tired nature does nothing to stop the fireworks he feels as Blaine's full lips, the ones he daydreams about licking and biting, move against his slowly.


	9. Chapter 8

Blaine's not sure where that kiss came from but he's glad it did. He probably would have made a move eventually but knowing him it may have been dragged out for months.

They're still kissing, almost half asleep but determined to carry on with this new discovery. Kurt's still got one hand on his cheek, the other forearm acting as Blaine's pillow and he's convinced it's better than any real pillow he's ever slept on and - oh _wow_.

Kurt's moved to brace himself on the arm that's under Blaine, hovering over him slightly to the left as he deepens the kiss. Blaine doesn't even consider not opening his mouth when he feels the senior's tongue gently swipe along his bottom lip before flicking the top one. Not opening to Kurt is not and option.

_Christ he's good at this._

Eventually they slow down, back to half-asleep brushes, Kurt still hovering over Blaine, Blaine's hands now at his neck and lower back methodically clenching the material of his t-shirt.

"We should go to sleep." Kurt whispered, his voice lower than Blaine had ever heard it, but he doesn't make an effort to pull away. He simply speaks against Blaine's mouth, leaning in closer to give another chaste kiss.

"Uh-huh."

"Because..." another kiss, "We, umm...we have school..."

And it's because Kurt's still kissing him that Blaine pouts and says "We could skip."

Kurt pulls back, a small smile on his face and eyes bright. "You don't skip, Blaine."

"I could."

"I don't want you to. I'm not going to be the reason you skive off." Another lip brush and a slightly cheeky smile before he continues with a false air of innocence, "Besides, I intend on furthering my education tomorrow and I seriously doubt you want to be a bad influence on me, it might just alter my view on you."

Blaine almost began to list all of the reasons that they should skip tomorrow (lack of sleep, stay in bed all day and worst; what if nothing between them changed?) but he held his tongue when Kurt rolled off of him. Unwilling to let his body heat go for too long Blaine turned into Kurt's side, nose firmly planted against his neck as they drifted off to sleep.

They'd shifted over the course of the night when Blaine woke up. Face to face, arms and legs tangled together with the duvet kicked down to their calves. Kurt groaned and buried his face into his pillow as he threw his arm behind him, locate the alarm after a few grabs and slammed at it until the beeping stopped.

He rolled onto his stomach, arms stretching under the pillow as his head turned enough to reveal one bleary blue eye and croaked out a quiet "Morning."

"Morning." Blaine whispered back, and seeing as Kurt didn't seem to be in a hurry to kick him out of his obscenely large bed, Blaine moved forward to kiss Kurt's nose. The older teen scrunched up his nose and eyes, a tried smile visible at the corner of his mouth.

"Mmm, I really don't want to get up...but we should if we want to get into the bathroom before Finn. We're going to school Blaine, if anything I need to attempt to graduate." He added when Blaine opened his mouth. He leant down to place a closed-mouth peck on Blaine's lips before rolling over to sit on the edge of the bed. He ran his hands through his already impressive bed-head before standing up and moving to his closet while Blaine followed him with his eyes, almost feeling as if this was the most intimate thing he'd ever witnessed.

This was Kurt letting him see him vulnerable. No dark or distressed clothes, no combat boots or slightly hostile attitude.

Kurt turned around, arms full of clothes, a slight blush on his cheeks when he noticed that he held Blaine's sleepy attention. "I err, I won't be long."

"Okay."

Kurt offered Blaine an almost shy smile as he back out of his bedroom.

He's pretty sure that the majority of his friends - old and new - would all question his sanity over spending the night in Kurt Hummel's bed, let alone that he spent part of that time making out with the boy. The boys at Dalton would all say something along the lines of Kurt being a bad news and based on the gossip he's heard from over half of his new glee club they'd say something extremely similar. He has to admit that if it were any other boy he'd probably agree; there's just something about Kurt that he wants to know, to be around.

He was still busy daydreaming about the skank when said boy returned. Perhaps it was having seen Kurt in sleepwear but seeing him dressed in relatively simple black and grey striped skinny jeans with a low black v-neck with wet messy hair but Blaine couldn't remember if he'd ever seen anyone look quite as hot as Kurt did just then.

"I'm going to take your staring as a good thing."

Blaine nodded dumbly. Kurt let out a short laugh and moved to his vanity to begin sorting out his hair, "Bathroom's all yours."

By the time Blaine returned (his time in the shower being in no way hindered by thoughts of Kurt being in there naked just moments before) Kurt was sprawled out across his bed playing on his phone. He didn't look up when Blaine walked over to his mirror to start gelling his hair back into submission but his lip did twitch slightly before he spoke, "I was beginning to think you'd drowned."

He looked up when Blaine didn't answer and smirked when he spotted Blaine's pink cheeks in his vanity mirror. Blaine for his part ignored the raised, almost knowing, eyebrow and studiously paid attention to beating his curls down.

He was so busy trying to minimise his embarrassment that he jumped when Kurt was suddenly behind him, hands resting on his shoulders, "You wear far too much of that shit on your hair."

"You really wouldn't want to see it without some form of product. It's awful."

Kurt raised his pierced brow, smirk back in place. "I said too much, not that you shouldn't wear any, though I seriously doubt it's as bad as you're making it out to be."

"It's ridiculous." Blaine glared at his hair in his reflection, why couldn't he have inherited their father's hair? Cooper got the perfect straight hair and Blaine ended up with a mess. Granted they had different mothers so the Asian blood in Blaine had a lot to do with it, but he still didn't see why he couldn't get the nicer hair in their family.

"Stop pouting, I was only teasing you."

Blaine blinked, his eyes flicking up to see Kurt's reflection staring down at his. "I was _not_ pouting."

Kurt laughed lightly as he moved away from the cubby area to grab a beaten up looking black leather jacket from the back of his door. "You so were Anderson. C'mon, we gotta leave because I need coffee...like now."

It was only in Kurt's car on the way to the Lima Bean that Blaine began to get nervous. It wasn't that he was worried about being seen in Kurt's car in public or by anyone at school but that he didn't know how Kurt felt about that. He was pretty sure he wasn't what people expected Kurt Hummel to be into. Hell, he's not even sure why Kurt seems to be so interested in him; he's surely not what a McKinley skank would normally go for or be seen with.

Biting his lip Blaine snuck a look across to Kurt. The older boy was focussed on the road, eyes hidden behind his trademark black Ray-Bans, while his hands tapped out the beat to the Rolling Stones song playing surprisingly softly from the speakers as he guided his Navigator towards the coffee shop.

Kurt must have felt his eyes on him because he turned towards him slightly with a smile. It didn't expel all of his worries but it certainly helped to put them to the back of his mind. "What drink do you want?"

"What?"

Kurt pulled into a parking space and turned to face Blaine, a small crooked smile on his face, "Drink, what kind do you want?"

Blaine blinked in surprise. "Medium drip?"

Kurt smirked, "You sure about that?"

He took off his sunglasses and winked before jumping out and jogging over to the partially deserted coffee shop. Blaine sighed and rested his head against the back of the seat, pulled out his phone and turned it on for the first time since he'd climbed out of his window yesterday with Kurt. It was silent for a few minutes before it started beeping with messages and missed calls. He sighed again and opened them; all the calls where from his parents as were most of the messages.

He was debating listening to the two voicemails after having skipped reading the angry text messages sent from his parents when Kurt opened the driver side door and clambered back in. He turned to hand Blaine one of the cups before frowning and looking from him to his phone.

"Parents." Blaine offered a shrug as if to say it was nothing.

Kurt's frown deepened as he stared into Blaine's wide eyes. "I'm going to assume they are not worried parental 'please let me know you're safe blah-blah-blah' texts?"

Again Blaine shrugged before shoving his phone back into his pocket and taking his coffee, smiling in thanks. Kurt was still frowning but thankfully he didn't push it, only took a large gulp of the caffeinated liquid and turned the car back on. They stayed silent the entire drive towards the high school.

Blaine began to gnaw on his bottom lip again as Kurt pulled in to the gradually filling parking lot. A few students that glanced at the car did double takes at seeing Blaine sat in the passenger side, though it was well known in the school by now that he and Kurt were acquaintances at the very least with how much time they spent together out of lessons.

Kurt side-eyed him as he parked and turned the car off. When Blaine reached over to open his door Kurt's hand gently reached over to grasp the forearm closest to him, "Hey, wait for a minute."

He tugged Blaine's arm lightly until the other boy was facing him. Blue eyes stared into gold, seemingly searching for something.

He clearly found it because his eyes lit up in knowing before he leant forward slowly and kissed the younger teen, one hand firmly holding Blaine in place at the back of neck while the other stayed on his arm. Neither boy deepened it this time; Kurt seemed intent on proving something to Blaine, not making a show for those steeling not-so-subtle looks from outside of the car.

Kurt pulled back slowly but stayed close enough that Blaine had to concentrate to focus on his star-burst coloured eyes. "Please try not to think too hard about everything. Ignore your parents for today, fuck it, ignore everyone if you really want to."

He squeezed Blaine's arm and neck lightly, tugged him forward for another chaste kiss, "And for the love of God, nothing about last night was a mistake for me." With that he opened his door, grabbed his things and moved around the front of the Navigator to wait for Blaine.

Blaine held back a smile as he climbed out and shut his door. "Is that what you do?"

Kurt snorted, "Not really." Blaine blinked in confusion when he didn't elaborate but only began to lead the way into school and towards Blaine's locker.

"Not really? That's the answer you're giving me?" He opened his locker, smiling wryly as the skank leant against the metal doors next to him, glaring at pretty much every student that so much as glanced their way.

"It's a good answer." He winked at the shorter boy before his face hardened in the direction of a group of cheerleaders hovering around and shooting glances at the two boys. "Jesus people in this fucking school really need to get their own God-damned lives."

Blaine shut his locker and leant against it, back to the cheerleaders and facing the skank. "They'll get bored eventually, and it was a non-answer."

"Well it's the answer I'm giving, now come on we can't have you being late for class." He gently pushed Blaine's shoulder to spin him around in the direction of classrooms, lightly squeezed his shoulders and gave him a small shove forwards. "Don't want to be accountable for the lowering of what I'm sure is a stupidly perfect grade average."

"You do know that I'm not as much of a nerd as you seem to think I am right?"

"What's the lowest grade you've ever gotten?" Blaine flushed and Kurt clicked his tongue in satisfaction as they stopped against the wall outside of Blaine's classroom. "Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you just proved my point." He smiled softly at Blaine and without glancing around to see who was possibly looking he leant forward to kiss Blaine's cheek. "See you later at lunch...bleachers?"

Blaine nodded happily with what he's sure was a stupid grin on his face. He had no idea what he and Kurt were doing but he wasn't going to fight it, not when it made him this giddy. Kurt winked before stalking off to his own class...or the bleachers. Blaine made an effort to stifle his smile and ignore any wandering eyes on him as he practically bounced to his seat, not noticing the glare sent his way from the corridor.

He's not entirely sure how he managed to take passable notes in any of his first few classes, Blaine's sure it must just be muscle memory of some kind because there's no way he was paying attention. He spent the majority of each class reliving last night or letting his almost seventeen-year-old-boy-imagination run riot with thoughts of what might have happened had they not been so tired. Or had Kurt not stopped them. Or what could happen tonight as he assumes he's staying at the Hudmel's again due to Kurt having packed several sets of clothes and not having his own car for now.

Either way he doesn't really regret it because he has Lit after lunch followed by History all of which will be spent with Kurt. And screw what everyone else seems to think but that doesn't seem like a bad way to spend the rest of his day. Offering a polite smile to Rachel and Mercedes, ducking out before they could reach him, Blaine made towards the back exit of the school, the one closest to the football field and bleachers.

He was rounding the building's corner; he could spot Kurt's bright hair from under yet another beanie (he must keep them stashed somewhere) as he waited for Blaine when a beefy hand grabbed his bag's strap and yanked him back and slammed him into the brick wall.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Karofsky was leaning over him, close to pinning him to the wall, anger evident over his face. Blaine stared up at the jock bewildered.

"I...I don't..."

"You and fucking _Hummel_, no one wants to see that shit. No one wants to watch two _fags_ doing...that!"

Blaine rolled his eyes, "We didn't do anything Karofsky, talking isn't a crime."

The other boy barked out a harsh laugh. "Yeah well talking don't mean kissing last time I checked."

"Oh really," _Jesus Christ Blaine don't piss him off, do not piss him off,_ "Cause from what I've heard you wouldn't really know. What with Santana turning out to be a lesbian and you never having a girlfriend before or _after_ her, gossip travels extremely well in this school." He had no idea where all of this courage, possibly stupid courage, was coming from and he couldn't decide if it was a good thing or not. He hadn't been hit yet but that didn't mean it wasn't coming.

"Somebody ought to teach fags like you a lesson."

"Yeah, well I've heard that before. I'll let you in on a little secret though," Blaine's jaw tensed along with his entire body, subconsciously preparing himself for a fight, "_I'll always be gay._"

He knew the hit was coming yet it still knocked him sideways into the wall. Blaine managed to roll with it slightly so it didn't break his jaw but damn if it didn't hurt. Raising a hand to massage it lightly he stared blankly at the jock. Karofsky's fists were still clenched, trembling in anger while his eyes were wild, he looked almost unhinged.

Blaine tensed again as the bully pulled his arm back for another punch, getting ready to duck, when his fist collided with something, someone, else.

Kurt rocked to the side with the punch before pulling his own arm back and throwing his own fist into the jock's surprised face. Blaine's eyes widened as he heard a crunch, unsure from whom it originated until he noticed the blood dripping down behind the hand clutching Karofsky's nose.

"Fuck you Hummel."

Kurt didn't even blink, his back was to Blaine so he couldn't see his expression but based on his posture he seemed to almost radiate hate. "Oh I think we both know how that would turn out dickhead." Blaine had heard the other boy angry before, had heard him swear and throw insults towards anyone who looked too long in the halls, but never had he heard it this cold before. "You really are as thick as shit aren't you? Didn't I fucking tell you to stay the hell away from Blaine?"

Karofsky glared at the taller boy who'd seemingly thrown himself in the way of the punch meant for Blaine in contempt. "It's fucking sick, you two are _sick._"

"No we're not," Kurt's voice was still ice cold but now it was tinged with something else, an almost begrudging pity mixed with disbelief. "You really need to stay away from us, because I'm fucking done with this shit now. It's one thing messing with me when I know all your dirty fucking secrets but you bring Blaine or anyone else I care about into it and I'll fucking ruin you." He took a small step towards the larger boy, "And I won't hold back either, so back the fuck off of Blaine and me and walk away Karofsky."

"You wouldn't dare." The blood was still flowing steadily from his nose, eyes fixed on Kurt now, and his entire face appeared almost blank. Blaine's own eyes darted between each senior not quite knowing if he wanted to understand what Kurt was threatening or not.

"What the fuck could you do to me that you haven't already threatened or tried? I dare you Karofsky, I _fucking_ dare you to push me and see what happens to your precious little life." Blaine placed a hand on the small of Kurt's back when he noticed the subtle shaking of his upper body, mentally thanking God when he felt him relax minutely.

"Why do you care about what I do to him? You dating him or some sick shit like that?"

"Not that it is any of your God damned business, but yeah I am, that's why I give a shit what happens to him. That's also why I really fucking will ruin your life if you don't stop." With that Kurt gripped the hand resting on his back tightly and spun around to face Blaine, who didn't think twice about leading him away and back down to the bleachers.

He waited until they were under the deserted bleachers and out of sight from anyone to pull Kurt into a hug. The older boy seemed to fold into him, his head buried in the crook of Blaine's neck, arms tight around his waist and his entire body still coiled as if it was readying itself for a fight. He wrapped his own arms around Kurt's shoulders, squeezing him tightly at the small tremors running through Kurt's torso.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, twisting so that he could kiss the visible part of Kurt's forehead, a forehead that creased and was lifted up and away in order for Kurt to be able to stare at Blaine in confusion.

"Am I...are you fucking serious?" Blaine opened his mouth to answer that _of course he knew Kurt wasn't okay but was he hurt_ when Kurt framed his face with his hands and gently traced his bruising jaw line. "Blaine he cornered you, he _hit_ you and you want to know if I'm okay? You really are something else." He whispered the last part so softly that Blaine wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear it or not.

"He hit you too."

"I've been hit by him before."

Blaine let out a small choked noise, "Yeah, I kind of figured that bit out. It doesn't mean you should be hit by him again."

"Nobody should be hit by him - the guy's built like a brick shithouse."

"Kurt, don't, don't try to downplay whatever the hell just happened back there."

Kurt's face softened and he nodded before pulling Blaine into a hug this time to comfort him. "I'm sorry, I am but I would do it again." Blaine made to move back a fraction to see the other boy's face but he was held firmly in place. "I saw him punch you, saw you got into the wall and I just, I don't know, I just couldn't not stop him. I won't let him hurt you."

Blaine nodded into Kurt's collar bone, and deciding that all the serious talk could wait until later he tilted his head up slightly and smiled cheekily. "You said we were dating."

Kurt flushed a brilliant pink hue, one hand going to the back of neck and his face scrunching up as he shifted from foot to foot, "Err, yeah I did didn't I?"

"Uh-huh, but correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that to be dating you actually had to go out on _dates_. I could be wrong of course, it's not like I get many opportunities in Ohio..." He trailed off, smile morphing into a goofy grin as Kurt's face brightened. He seemed to light up when he smiled; it drew all attention away from the darkening shadows just below his left eye to the sharpness of their colour instead.

"You are right, how silly of me, would you like to go on a date with me?"

"Well that depends on a great deal of things."

Kurt was laughing lightly now. "Oh does it? You might have to refresh my memory."

Blaine nodded happily, "Yup, are you going to share any details about this date at all? I can't really answer until I know what I'm being offered."

"Dinner. Tonight."

"It's a date."


	10. Chapter 9

_**And this is where the Angst starts to come out. It took me a little bit longer to write simply because I needed it to be able to lead into Chapter 10 without seeming too all over the place. Shit is starting to get real. **_

_**Yet again thanks go to my immense Beta Sami. I owe her cookies or a cake or something. And to Hanny, the BFF who understands my fangirling because she's just as bad, for begging me to turn my drunk mumblings about a headcannon into a story that snowballed into this. She likes to steal my laptop and read ahead and still listens to my ideas and plans. **_

_**Not really any warnings or spoilers in this one. But they're coming.**_

* * *

Blaine said yes. Kurt knows that it probably shouldn't be a surprise seeing as they spent most of yesterday night making out but he'd said yes and now he had a problem. Because he's never been on a date and despite all their joking taking Quinn out to dinner and paying isn't a date. Beth is with them half of the time and they often spilt the bill and Kurt isn't attracted to Q or vice versa.

So that's why he's waiting outside the boys toilets for Puck to hurry up with meeting him.

"Kurt! Dude got your text, what's up?" Puck's rounding the corner, raising one hand when he spots his friend leaning against the wall opposite the bathroom door, fidgeting with the pieces of metal visible above the neck.

Kurt returns his fist bump in a distracted manner before blurting out "I have a date with Blaine and I can't believe I'm doing this but I need your help."

Puck nods sagely, "I'm assuming you asked him and are paying that's why you've come to the Puckzilla and not Q?" Kurt glared at him. "Alright dude, chill, I got this."

"I only want advice on the _date_I do not need or want to know how to get into his pants."

"You _so_do man." Puck snickered to himself, sobering up slightly at Kurt's glare. "Seriously man, just relax about it all, don't try so hard."

Kurt waited for him to go on but when Puck said nothing he scoffed, "That's it? That's all the advice you have for me?"

The mohawked teen grinned and nodded. "You don't want to get into his pants...yet. The only girls I ever really dated were Satan, Q and Lauren. I don't think Tana even counts as a girlfriend."

"Get on with it Puck I'm only supposed to have gone to the bathroom." Kurt waved his hand in front of him before crossing his arms.

"I dunno man; all I can really say is chill about it. Go to Breadstix and if there's anything good on see a movie. Standard date - can't go wrong."

"How you get dates, _more than once_, is beyond me."

* * *

Kurt ran back to his Lit class, skidded to a stop just before the door and strolled back inside in an attempt to not look rushed. Ms Mesher merely raised her eyebrows at him to which he offered a meek smile that he knows she won't be able to be annoyed at him for. Blaine's own eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"That was either the world's longest pee or you didn't go to the toilet."

Kurt smiled innocently. "I have no idea what you could possibly mean."

"Where'd you go?"

Kurt snuck a look around to see everyone working on their projects so he leant across the gap between the two of them, waited until Blaine turned back to look at him and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. "Patience is a virtue...or so I'm told, so you'll find out tonight."

Blaine, on his part, recovered quickly with only a light blush to provide any tell-tale signs to anyone looking. "That is hardly fair."

"I never said anything about it being fair."

Blaine narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out to which Kurt rolled his eyes, amused. "Mature."

"Never said anything about being mature." Blaine mimicked with a cheeky smile before it dropped a little bit and he glanced around to see everyone still working - or rather pretending - to work on their presentations and turned sideways to face Kurt completely.

Kurt frowned and mirrored his movements. "Am I staying at yours again tonight?" The skank fought the urge to roll his eyes at Blaine's hesitant tone. His bottom lip was being chewed on again and for once Kurt was allowed to do something about that, unless in a classroom with a teacher he actually respects. He reached across and pulled Blaine's lip out by rubbing his thumb across it.

He forgets sometimes that just because he and Quinn use each other's houses as second homes, not everyone has this dynamic. He doesn't answer, just rolls his eyes at the other boy and goes back to doodling in his margins and ignores Blaine's mocking glare.

They spend the remaining forty minutes of class left outlining a rough plan for their presentation, dictating who would do what on the nights they couldn't actually meet up. They were among the last to wander out of the classroom meaning that Quinn was leaning up against the open door of their shared History class eyes fixed in a permanent death glare for anyone who so much as glanced towards her.

Her eyebrow quirks in amusement at the sight of Kurt walking side by side with Blaine; something Blaine doesn't notice but Kurt does. She throws her arms around each of their shoulders in a weird three-way hug and pulls them into the class to the back. There isn't a seating plan here. Sit where you can find a desk and shut up basically. Mainly because their teacher is too old to care much about their names as long as they pass and don't give him grief.

Quinn levels Jewfro with a look menacing enough to cause his eyes to widen in fear before she's opened her mouth. Anyone else would probably class her smile as sweet but Kurt smirks. She may not be head cheerleader anymore, may not be the most popular girl walking the halls but damn, she can still pull out her inner Queen Bitch at the drop of a hat.

"Move."

"But..."

"Move. Now." She smiles again, eyelashes fluttering in a mockery of flirtation while her eyes are like steel. Kurt merely grins at a terrified Jacob when he glances behind her to see Kurt and a slightly confused Blaine. "Kurt, baby, did I stutter?" She turns to the other skank, a mocking frown in place.

Kurt held back a low laugh, a lopsided smile slipped through, "I heard you perfectly Q."

"He heard me perfectly Jewfro. So now I'm wondering why you're still sitting here?" By now she's placed her hands, all ten fingers painted a perfect glossy jet black, on his desk and leant over him, teeth bared.

Kurt would feel sorry for him, he really would, but it's Jewfro. The same boy who filmed him being slushied or thrown in dumpsters or having fucking pee-balloons hurled at him and then posted on his blog. He's pretty sure this kid is one he'll never ever have any sympathy for.

It gives him great pleasure to wrap an arm around Q's narrow shoulders and raise his pierced brow at the boy, "Run along now Jacob." Delighting in how fast said boy moves, looking close to either tears or pissing his pants.

"I'm not entirely sure what I just witnessed." Blaine is moving into the seat on Kurt's left while Quinn throws herself bodily into the corner seat on his right.

"Blaine, Jewfro is one of the few people in this school who hands down deserves every God damn wedgie or swirly that comes his way. Scaring him out of a seat so I can sit with my boy and _his_ boy is nothing compared to what I would love to do to him." Quinn grins at both boys before pulling out her iPod and putting the right earphone into place so she can still listen to them but appear uninterested in everything else going on around them.

"Was that really necessary?" Blaine is staring wide eyed at Kurt and Q. Kurt blinks, unaccustomed to the feeling of guilt growing in his stomach; not at messing with Jewfro but with feeling like Blaine might be disappointed in him.

Quinn snorts is a decidedly un-lady like manner, something her previous Cheerleader self would have abhorred, and leans forward on her desk to level Blaine with an amused look. "Don't tell me that wasn't the least bit funny. He looked about ready to shit himself." She giggles quietly to herself.

Kurt bites his lip and looks down at his hands, then back up between his best friend and his...well he's not sure what Blaine is. More than a friend but less than a boyfriend. But there's no way he wants to let him down; anyone and he wouldn't really give a crap, except for his dad. He's pretty sure he's disappointed the majority of his old friends - hell, he's been told that by some of them.

When his eyes land on Blaine again the other boy is biting his lips, eyes dancing in amusement that he clearly wanted to hide. Kurt flashed a meek smile in response, he opened his mouth to say something when their teacher walked in, essentially causing all conversations to halt for the remainder of the lesson - it's why it's so easy to sleep in this class. The old guy doesn't tolerate talking and he lectures, everything else is done at home, and if you don't show up you don't show up. It's why Kurt likes Mr Turner normally, but right now he wants to talk to Blaine and find out if messing with Jewfro in front of him was a bad move.

When class ends Kurt's not entirely sure if he took anything in; he's spent most of the lesson doing his usual doodling, trying not to eye up Blaine too much and planning out tonight in his head. He stood up when the bell rang, gathering his things and turns to face the shorter boy. In hindsight this was probably a mistake because as he goes to say something to the junior he's interrupted again; this time by Quinn grabbing his shoulders and jumping up onto his back causing him to stagger slightly in surprise before righting himself and shoving his arms under her thighs quickly.

Turning to glare at his friend who has a faux innocent look on her face before she rests her head in the crook of his neck he nudges her lightly with the side of his head. "Warn a guy next time Quinn; I could've dropped you."

She wraps her arms tighter around his neck and shakes her head, "You've never dropped me. Carry me to my car, pretty please?"

Kurt rolls his eyes and huffs out a long-suffering 'fine' before looking back to Blaine, who's again trying not to laugh. "Apparently I'm carrying Quinn to her car."

"I can see that, it's very chivalrous of you." He breaks then and lets out a snicker before quickly trying to sober up.

Quinn giggles along quietly, and mumbles into his shoulder, "See; be a fucking gentleman Kurt. I was up all night with my child; have some sympathy." Kurt contemplates dropping her on her ass as he trudges out of the classroom feeling rather like a pack-horse.

"You're really heavy." He mutters darkly as they reach the main doors, ignoring the looks from everyone still in the building, Blaine has to hold the door open for him.

There's a sharp bite on his shoulder where his top has slipped slightly and a slightly amused "Shut up and deal with it," as a response.

"Ow, seriously woman you need to stop abusing me or, or..."

"Ooooor."

They've reached her car by now; it's only a few spots up from his own so Kurt jokingly drops her on the hood, smirking at the ruffled look she now sports. "Or else."

"Blaine, fair warning, Kurt likes to talk in his sleep sometimes, ask him awkward questions and see what he says." She grins, hops off her car and slides into it, winking at her fellow skank who deadpans at her. "Use a condom!" She yells out of her window as she pulls out of her spot, cackling to herself when Kurt shoves his middle finger up into the air.

A smothered laugh jolts Kurt back to the parking lot, where Blaine is beside him hiding a wide amused smile behind his hand. "Shut up." He shoves the other boy's shoulder lightly and stalks off to his own car.

"So you talk in your sleep huh?" Blaine chuckles at the glare Kurt sends him, raising his eyebrow at the sharp 'no' that's muttered as they climb into the Navigator. "Hey, I thought you had work tonight?"

Kurt shrugged as he pulled out of the spot, "One of the guys needed some overtime so Dad gave him one of my shifts and one of Finn's from next week. I get paid pretty well so it's not a big deal." He turned to flash Blaine a small smile.

"So what's the plan for tonight? The vaguest of details then if you still won't tell me everything." Blaine pulled a face as he added the last part when Kurt merely smirked at him.

"I told you, dinner."

"Dinner, yes, am I expected to guess the times or dress code for...Breadstix?"

This time it was Kurt that pulled the face. "Everyone goes to Breadstix. So no; not for a first date at least." He pulled into his drive, happy to see Finn's truck wasn't there, and turned towards Blaine, "Call me crazy but the fact that that particular restaurant is where 'the Puckzilla' takes all his dates doesn't make me want to jump at the chance to go there for this."

Blaine was smiling widely as they both climbed out of the car and headed into the house. "Kurt Hummel, if I didn't know any better I'd say that you were putting a lot of effort into this date."

"Shut up." Kurt accompanied his statement with a sharp poke to his side as he strode past him to the stairs. Kurt threw himself down onto his bed, picked up his laptop bag from its spot on the floor by the wall, turned it on and opened up the folder labelled 'tv and shit'. Blaine came in shortly after, looking slightly awkward for a moment while Kurt fiddled with a lead to connect to the speakers on his shelves, he squeezed Blaine's hip as he got up to reach around him, "We've got about an hour and half before we should leave."

* * *

They ended up spending an hour watching _Friends_ until Kurt got up and began rifling through his closet, pulling out plain black skinny jeans and a grey-scale looking check shirt that had shades of navy in up close. He turned back to Blaine and shuffled his socked feet minutely, "Umm, it's not fancy or anything, but I'm gonna go change, er...you can too I guess." His lip quirked up in one corner quickly before he left the room.

Blaine was tying a bright red bowtie when Kurt walked back in, jeans changed and looking sprayed on despite the hole on his left knee that pretty much bared it to the elements, the check shirt hanging open over the same v-neck from earlier. Kurt's eyes ran up and down his body as he moved to his vanity to grab some of the chains draped over the corner of the mirror and hanging them over his neck.

_Jesus that polo makes his arms look amazing_. He moved away to shove his feet into a pair of navy Toms while Blaine checked his hair was still cemented to his head. Kurt tried not to lick his lips when the black polo he was in stretched over his biceps; that coupled with the bowtie and ankle-bearing red chinos stretched over his ass had Kurt hurriedly standing and fumbling in his bag for his phone, keys and wallet.

"Ready?" Kurt grabbed his leather jacket from the hook on his door as Blaine grabbed a thick grey cardigan and nodded. "After you then."

By the time they reached the hole in the wall bistro/bar that Kurt stumbled across last year his nerves starting to wane a little bit. He remembered to hold the car door open for Blaine, earning a bemused but grateful smile from said boy; he doesn't buy into it making Blaine less of a man, it's polite and he wants to make a good impression tonight. Beside's he's always held doors for his friends, now he just puts a bit more conscious effort into it.

There's no parking outside of the bistro with it being on one of the smaller back streets of central Lima so he has to pull into a space a few roads over. He doesn't rush around to open the door for Blaine this time, partly because he doesn't see the point but also because Blaine's opening the door before he's even shut his own, so he just waits by the sidewalk.

"Where are we?" Blaine is looking around at the little boutiques and cafes, Breadstix is just around the corner along with the cinema so these streets, while nowhere near empty are never very busy in the evenings. It's why Kurt's always loved these parts of town; there's less chance of harassment. Of course that was more of a problem before the end of junior year more than now-a-days but still, it's clear he and Blaine are more than friends out to dinner.

Kurt sends a lopsided, secretive smile to Blaine as he leads them down the street towards their destination. "You'll see." He stands back when they reach the door, making a mocking sweeping gesture to the door, "Much better than Breadstix for a first date."

Blaine smiles as he moves past the skank to let himself in, this time he holds the door for Kurt and he sends Blaine a small smile before waiting for someone to come and seat them; the place is so small there's no point in having a hostess. Sure enough one of the waitresses comes over, smiling brightly and asks for the size of their party or if they have a reservation. Kurt bites back the sarcasm and answers with a short "Two, it's under Hummel."

He nods for Blaine to go ahead when the girl grabs two menus and says "Right this way sirs" before leading them to one of the small booths in the far right corner. The surrounding tables are either empty or far enough away that Kurt's pretty sure he won't spend too much time worrying about someone seeing if they act too affectionate to be just friends. Of course it wouldn't stop Kurt but he's willing to bet it would make Blaine (and himself for that matter) a bit uncomfortable...for now at least.

The waitress waits until they've seated themselves and then places the menus down and makes them aware that the specials along with the soup and fish of the day are on the blackboard opposite their corner. She takes their drink orders and then leaves them to it for the time being.

Kurt can't help but let a little smug smile show as he watches Blaine's eyes take in the two exposed brick walls the two turquoise ones and the black and white photography that covers them. "Well?"

Blaine turns back to him and grins, "Definitely better than Breadstix so far."

Kurt smiles wider, pleased with his idea of vetoing Puck's go-to date location and stick to the advice instead. He slides his jacket off and places in between his body and the wall while he looks over the menu; Blaine is slipping his cardigan off and eyeing the specials board.

Their waitress bounds over with their Cokes, happily asking if they're ready to order, still smiling brightly when Kurt asks for a little bit more time. He stares incredulously after her, he's pretty sure he's never anyone so bubbly and has to wonder if it's all out on for tips. Shaking his head he turned back to the menu.

"How'd you find this place?" Blaine's watching him; head tilted to the side and for one odd moment Kurt is reminded of a curious puppy.

"Luck, it was a few years ago, I was...just wandering around town and I found this place. Came in because it was raining and I couldn't find my umbrella and ended up having the worlds best hot chocolate. It was a good day for fourteen year old me." He scrunches his nose a little.

"I might just have to try that after we've eaten."

"They still do it; it's heavenly."

Blaine's grin spreads from ear to ear and when he begins to reach across the table for Kurt's hand that stupid, happy waitress was back and chattering on about if they wanted to order; the whole time they did Kurt had to refrain from glaring at her.

* * *

In the end Kurt did order them both a hot chocolate when he went to the bathroom arriving just after Blaine had sat back down at their booth. He smiled before taking a mouthful and letting out a ridiculous moan to release over hot chocolate.

"You need a room with that drink?"

Blaine narrows his eyes at him momentarily before closing them, inhaling deeply and taking another gulp. "Shut up, I don't even care, this is too damn good." He added a light tap of his dress shoe to Kurt's shin.

"Hey so I was thinking about ordering one of the cheesecakes to go? We've got one more place to see."

"Okay."

Blaine let Kurt choose claiming that he wouldn't be able to decide and trusted Kurt to get something good, so he went with the mango and passion fruit, getting it brought to them in a box along with the bill. He sent Blaine a glare when he went to reach for it, "You can pay when you ask, tonight is on me."

Kurt lit up a cigarette when they were outside walking back to his car, inhaling deeply and closing his eyes _fuck, quitting was going to be so hard_..._maybe he could just cut down._ Blaine shot him a look half way between exasperation and fondness as he took another drag.

"Quitting is hard." Kurt defended himself, tapping gently to remove the gathering ash.

Blaine laughed quietly, took the bag with the cheesecake in from the hand closest to him and replaced it with his own fingers. Kurt kept his eyes firmly forward but squeezed gently to show he didn't mind the gesture. At all.

Unfortunately two guys walking towards them on the other side of the street didn't agree. Kurt saw them first, tensing and tugging Blaine a little bit closer out of instinct before the jeers hit them.

_"Fucking faggots!" _

_"Get the fuck off our streets queers."  
"You're both sick."_

He'd heard worse, had worse done to him too, so he supposes he _should_ be thankful that they carried on walking, seemingly happy with just hurling abuse towards the two boys. But all it did was remind Kurt of last year, of _him_ and of the hell he's gone through pretty much everyday since his mom died. He was shaking by the time they reached his car, climbing inside in dead silence. Blaine took Kurt's hand gently again once he'd pulled out of the spot and rubbed his knuckles slowly.

He couldn't tell if the shaking was out of anger or what but Blaine's ministrations seemed to be keeping him calm for the moment so he didn't think too hard.

It wasn't until they were back in his bedroom after having brushed their teeth side by side in silence, Kurt with his back rigid against his closed door and Blaine awkwardly taking his shoes off on Kurt's bed that he noticed how tense Blaine was.

"I'm sorry."

The shorted boy looked up in shock at the whispered apology; Kurt kept his eyes fixed on his Toms. "I should be used to it shouldn't I? Getting called fag or queer," He let out a harsh laugh and ran his hands through his hair, messing it up without intent for once. "I fucking hate this town. Sooner I get out here the better; I can't fucking take it much longer."

Blaine was staring up at him with wide eyes and Kurt felt his anger return at the sight. Blaine was too kind, too beautiful for that kind of shit, he really hated humanity sometimes. He yanked off his leather jacket with jerky movements before clenching it in his fists, attempting to take a deep calming breath and violently hurling the coat into the cubby section of room when that didn't work.

Blaine stayed quiet, electing to toe off his now untied shoes, pull off his bowtie and pull his jeans off so he sat cross legged in only a pair of boxers and his polo. It was a mark of how far gone Kurt was heading that he didn't linger over the new exposed skin too long; instead he angrily pulled his own clothes off until he was left in just the v-neck and his own boxers. He threw himself down onto the bed beside Blaine, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

When he glances over at Blaine the other boy has his legs under the duvet sitting upright with his back against Kurt's headboard, eyes fixed on something on the shelves opposite Kurt's bed. When he follows Blaine's sight he find a photograph of himself, eight years old, sitting on the sofa in their old house with his mother's arms around him, story book across his bony child legs both of them beaming up at the camera with identical smiles. That's the last picture of them that he has.

He shifts under the covers, tearing his eyes away from that photo and the memory that she would die just three weeks later in the process. Blaine slid down and rolled over to face Kurt, bringing up a hand to brush back some of his hair that had fallen out of place.

"Can I ask you something?" He was whispering, face mere inches away from Kurt's who eyes slipped closed before he nodded. Soft lips pressed against his forehead and the hand returned to brush his hair once more. "What the hell happened to you?"

Kurt kept his eyes closed but snorted sadly, curling into himself slightly, "How long do you have?"


	11. Chapter 10

**Okay so this took forever (in my terms that aren't hindered by broken phones and no internet access) due to the content of this chapter. A million thanks to both Sami (my immense beta for this fic) for reading through and making sure it makes sense and Hanny (my immense bestie) for letting me test-run the my angst writing skills on her. I put them both through so much.**

**_Tigger Warnings_ - Mentions of past sexual assualt, past bashings and bullying. **

**Bright side...there is alot of cheesecake? **

**Nattigirl - You don't have pm enabled so I couldn't reply to you, first of all, thank you so much, that review made my day. I really love that you're enjoying it and like what I'm doing with the characters. Hopefully this and the last couple of chapters explain what's going on in Blaine's head for you. It's not that he's weak - I wanted to show how being pulled from Dalton before he was ready or chose too might affect him. Like in Never Been Kissed when Karofsky shoved him against the fence and he put his hands up.**

But seriously, all five reviewers - you guys are immense. I really value your thoughts on this.

* * *

_He shifts under the covers, tearing his eyes away from that photo and the memory that she would die just three weeks later in the process. Blaine slid down and rolled over to face Kurt, bringing up a hand to brush back some of his hair that had fallen out of place. _

_"Can I ask you something?" He was whispering, face mere inches away from Kurt's, whose eyes slipped closed before he nodded. Soft lips pressed against his forehead and the hand returned to brush his hair once more. "What the hell happened to you?"_

* * *

Kurt kept his eyes closed but snorted sadly, curling into himself slightly, "How long do you have?"

Blaine frowned but stayed silent when Kurt opened his eyes and stared blankly at him before rolling onto his back, head resting on the forearm not next to Blaine, eyes now firmly fixed on the shadows flitting across his ceiling.

"I don't even know where to start." His hand that lays in-between them searches until his fingers tangle with Blaine's, "It's not like I have a hard home life. It's not perfect; hasn't been since mom died but it's not bad." He rolls his head slightly to look at Blaine again; mentally cursing the scratchy feeling building up behind his eyes. "My dad loves me, I know he does, he just...he doesn't get it and it's hard for him."

Blaine doesn't offer any clear reaction other than to squeeze his hand tightly, absentmindedly playing with his fingers with the hand not gripping his. "It was really hard after..."

"How did it happen?" Blaine's voice is soft, almost as if he can't tell if he should be asking but knows he needs to keep Kurt talking if he wants to find out anything.

"Car crash. She was picking me up from school and I was being a brat." He can feel the tears building up and tenses his jaw in an attempt to stall them, "I was always picked on, I can't remember what happened only that I was pissed off and upset and I was sulking. And she was trying so hard to get my attention from the back seat when I wouldn't answer that she didn't see the other car about to run a red a light. It hit the driver's side and rolled us."

He clenched his fists, momentarily forgetting he was holding Blaine's hand in his until the other boy let out a quiet hiss and resumed stroking his knuckles as they relaxed. "She didn't die right away; she kept talking to me. Telling me it was okay and that I was being really brave and that she needed me to be brave for a little bit longer." Kurt shook his head, frowning sadly, "I don't remember much, only that I was terrified, in a shit load of pain and that we were both crying and screaming."

Blaine pressed a hard kiss to his shoulder, keeping his head rested there as Kurt stared above them, only acknowledging the gesture by shifting closer. "I broke a lot of bones and hit my head really hard so I was in the hospital for ages. But mom, she, part of the car door broke off and went into her side, she lost too much blood and by the time they got us both to surgery her heart gave up. Died on the table."

He took a deep breath, blinked and carried on, it had been over nine years; he could tell the story without having a breakdown for Christ's sake. "After that school got a little bit easier. No one wanted to be the kid who hits 'poor little Hummel' with his casts and dead mommy. Home got difficult - I could hear dad crying when he wasn't around me, so I would only cry when I was alone, and he didn't know what to do with a kid who wouldn't do anything but stare at walls and read alone. I dealt though; I just did it alone, and acted tougher than I felt because I couldn't let him down."

He smiled wryly at Blaine. "Of course then I turned thirteen and suddenly the other kids realised I was still a freak and the bullying picked up. Standard bullying among kids in Lima; dumpster tosses, pee balloons, insults, beatings...having all my patio furniture nailed to the roof," at that he let out a harsh laugh, "Have to give them props for that one; originality and all that."

Blaine's staring at him again; Kurt can almost feel his disbelieving stare. "They...they nailed your garden furniture to your roof?"

"Uh huh. I still can't understand the logistics of that particular prank but it was oddly impressive; if really fucking aggravating to get down before my dad got home." Another dark laugh. "All before I officially came out too...not that it was ever needed, my closest may as well been made of glass."

"It's constant isn't it? The shit people like us go through." He felt Blaine nod against his shoulder. "It's not enough for us to get it in school but it's everywhere; out on the fucking streets while we have dinner. I learnt to cope; or I tried my hardest anyway. Turns out all I did was let it build and build until I snapped."

Both boys shifted slightly at the sound of the front door slamming shut and heavy foot steps banging back up to a room just down the hall. A quick glance towards his bedroom door showed it to be locked firmly, offering a bit of relief at his idiot step-brother not barging in on them.

He fell quiet, eyes still fixed on the ceiling as he listened to the boy next to him breathe and his step-brother fumble around in his bedroom. Apparently he stayed quiet for too long because Blaine eventually lifted himself up onto one elbow, bringing their still joint hands up onto Kurt's chest. "Hey, you don't have to..."

But he did, didn't he? Because Karofsky wasn't backing off and honestly, Kurt was terrified. He's not scared of the other jocks; hell, they're all wary or relatively frightened of _him_ now but Karofsky? He's different. He made it his life's mission to single Kurt out shortly after he officially came out.

"Only Quinn knows," he muttered and this time he curls into Blaine's shoulder, "Part of it anyway, only what she saw." He nuzzled in closer, "I er, _fuck_ it was almost a year ago, he was relentless. I had bruises on top of bruises from the day school kicked back off again and I'm pretty sure they were all his fucking handy work. Got sick of it, and I was venting to Puck one night and he asked why I didn't ever try to stand up to him when I'd never had a problem doing it with anyone else."

Kurt clenched the hand on Blaine's chest, scrunching up his polo as a result. The dark haired boy didn't say anything, only moved the hand running up and down said forearm to cover his hand. "I didn't have an answer. I mean he looked at me differently and no one else had it in for me like he did but it never occurred to me. So when he slammed me into a locker the next day I ran after him." He lifted his head slightly to find Blaine's eyes. "It didn't go well for me."

He stayed silent despite the curiosity in Blaine's eyes; kept his gaze on a crack in the plasterboard opposite. All the while fighting back bitter tears and the bile he could feel rising in the back of his throat. Clearly he stayed silent too long because Blaine moved so that they were both sitting up against the headboard.

"What do you mean?" Kurt ignored him, shaking his head slightly like he had water in his ears. He could feel a cocktail of rage, despair and panic beginning to build up. _Dammit, this is why you shut down Kurt, this is why we don't fucking think about shit like this._

"Hey, Kurt, c'mon look at me, what happened?" Blaine's hands were resting on either side of his jaw, coaxing his face round gently until he was forced to look at the other boy's face.

"My mind is kind of jumping to all sorts of 'worst case scenarios' over here."

Kurt blinked roughly, shutting down against tears and emotional outbursts was what he was good at, but he couldn't bring himself to close off to Blaine.

"Quinn found my bag in the hall."

Thinking about saying the words out loud right now made him want to throw up or smash something; preferably both. "She was looking for me 'cause I hadn't shown up to class. I owe her _everything_ for that; if she hadn't come when she did, I..." he let out a watery hiccough, "I don't want to think about what could have gone down."

He could see it happening again. Running after the bully, finding him in the locker room and just screaming at him, unloading all of his frustration onto his biggest tormentor only to be shoved roughly up against the lockers and having his first kiss with a boy stolen.

"He...Kurt he didn't..." Blaine shifted to face Kurt a bit more.

"No, he didn't do..._that_. He, er, he kissed me." He snorts angrily because it sounds almost trivial when put like that, "roughed me up a bit too when I fought back."

Kurt had to force himself to stay in bed and not give into the urge to vomit at the memory of it. Pushing the jock away when he'd gone in for another kiss only deterred him for a moment - only served to piss him off even more so that Kurt was slammed to the floor, pinned by the much larger body of Karofsky as he kicked out and struggled to get away. He'd felt the other boys crotch, sickeningly hard against his hip before he was kneed in the ribs for struggling, when that didn't make him stop fighting back he took a right hook to the face. Quinn walked in to find Kurt still trying to get away despite the blows being reigned down on him.

He didn't realise he was shaking until Blaine dropped one hand from his jaw to tangle their fingers back together, the thumb of his other hand gently stroking the now purple bruise from jumping in front of Blaine earlier.

Keeping his eyes downcast on their joint hands Kurt let Blaine angle his head slightly as he leant in to place butterfly kisses along the mark. Following it towards the corner of his mouth where he whispered, "You're sort of amazing, did you know that?" before planting his lips on top of Kurt's firmly. It was almost like Blaine was trying to wipe away the memory of Karofsky's chapped lips with every swipe of his tongue.

"You are," He adds against Kurt's lips when the older boy let out a muffled denial, he pulls back to smile gently at the skank, "You might not see it, the entire school or town might not see it but I do. So do Quinn and Puck; and Beth. I literally spent about five minutes with her and it was obvious that she thinks the world of you. You worry about your dad more than any teenager I've ever met and you stopped me from possibly getting my ass handed to me, then decided to become my friend when you could've walked away."

Kurt bit his lip, "I nearly did. I tried so hard to walk away from you."

"I know. I'm really glad you didn't."

"I'm really glad I didn't too." Shifting so he was laying back down Kurt reached up to cradle the back of Blaine's neck before tugging him back down for another kiss. He could feel Blaine's smile against his own as the other boy moved to lay half on top of him, elbowing him in the ribs in the process.

Kurt let out a quiet laugh, "Smooth Anderson."

This time Blaine delivered a sharp poke to the opposite rib causing Kurt to jerk away. "Shut up, that's harder than it looks." Kurt was still laughing as he rolled onto his side to face Blaine who moved to share the pillow, almost nose to nose with him.

"You never told anyone did you?"

Kurt felt the small smile slowly slip from his face as the mood sobered once again. "I told you only Quinn knows." Blaine frowned slightly, staring at Kurt while Kurt in turn let his eyes wander all over his room, anywhere but Blaine.

"McKinley is my third high school since I was fifteen, I'm seventeen."

Kurt blinked, eyes flitting back over Blaine who was now biting his bottom lip and staring determinedly at the covers around their waists. "What?"

"I transferred to Dalton for my sophomore year; well it was supposed to be my sophomore year."

"Blaine," Kurt hesitated, he didn't quite understand what the other boy was doing, "What...why are you telling me this?"

"Because you told me something that not everyone knows, so...least I can do is return the favour." He took a deep breath before mirroring Kurt's earlier position of lying on his back, eyes closed.

"Did you know I'm meant to be a senior?" Kurt shook his head even though Blaine couldn't see him, feeling his stomach twist up in almost horrified anticipation. _Please tell me it's because you're dyslexic. Please._ "I came out when I was fourteen. I didn't even mean to - we were having dinner and my dad just kept on and on about this new girl who'd moved in up the road and how I should ask her out and it slipped out...kind of, I sort of shouted "I'm gay" at him and left the room. I assume people starting spreading rumours around at school when I stopped answering or outright denying being gay if people asked and then next thing I know the whole damn school is calling me a _faggot_. Before that I was just another anonymous freshman."

Kurt could feel his entire body tensing, itching to go and start a fight with one of these little shits. Forcing himself to relax, he moved to nuzzle into Blaine's bicep, placing light kisses on top of his sleeve every now and again.

"I had notes left in my locker telling me I sick in the head or to go and off myself," Blaine's voice cracked on the last syllable and Kurt reacted by squeezing his arm tighter, placing more kisses on his shoulder all while trying to not seethe too much - he knew how those notes felt; he'd had plenty. "I had one saving grace, there was this boy in junior year who was out as well; I guess you could say he took me under his wing...he became my only friend."

"So he was your gay Yoda?"

Blaine hiccoughed out a sharp giggle, "Yeah, anyway we carried on and just after Valentines Day there was this Sadie Hawkins dance...I don't remember whose idea it was but we decided to hell with it and went as friends. No one bothered us really; we got looks and comments behind our backs but that was it. So we left, thinking we'd just conquered the school and nothing could get to us now."

Opening his eyes Blaine turned his head to face Kurt - amber eyes ridiculously wide and watery. "I don't remember much, I know it hurt and I know they used baseball bats and broke my leg, five ribs, my collar bone and I needed surgery because one of the ribs was close to ripping a hole in my lung. They put Jamie in a coma and he doesn't remember who I am."

"Fuck, Blaine I..."

"I didn't tell anyone at Dalton the details, told them I got beat up and that was it. They know I'm gay, I'm never going back into the closet, but I didn't really tell them everything."

Kurt stared opened mouthed at Blaine, moving his hands so that one was underneath their shared pillow and the other stroked along imaginary lines surrounding Blaine's face. "So why did you tell me?"

Blaine shrugged. "You showed me yours I showed you mine."

Kurt couldn't help the cheeky smile that started to grow, "Ahh, is that how this is going to work then? Seems fair enough." He chuckled when Blaine lightly shoved him.

"Dalton was my safe haven. When dad told me he was pulling me out and two days later I'm back in a homophobic public school...it, it kind of threw me for a loop. I mean I might have kept some stuff to myself but those guys were the only friends I had and he just, took it all away to make me 'man up'."

"You don't need to man up." He moved forward to seal his lips over Blaine's briefly, smiling when the other boy tried to chase them when he pulled back. "He threatened to kill me if I told anyone. So I didn't, but I just felt so weak and out of control and I to paraphrase my dad and grandparents 'went off of the rails' a little bit. Not one of my friends noticed except Q and Puck, or if they did they never said anything or tried to help. Everything just started pilling up and I couldn't handle it. I like who I am now, I'm different but I'm still me, but even I know that the bullying was a catalyst. I started hanging out with Puck and Quinn more, started drinking and smoking, got my first piercings, changed my clothes started punching kids back in school...got a tattoo and dropped out of glee."

Kurt sighed and ran a hand through his already messed up hair and looked over to Blaine, he seemed to realise that they needed a subject change, to move away from the more heavy subjects. His golden eyes flicked over Kurt's face, the hand not under the pillow playing with the now lilac strands of Kurt's hair.

"Did it hurt?" His eyes are on Kurt's eyebrow, tracing over the titanium bell bar as his hand moved to run feather-light over the piercings in his left ear.

"Not really. They're a little bit addictive."

"How many do you have?"

"Umm..." Kurt scrunched up his nose as he mentally counted, "nine...yeah nine."

Blaine's eye widened a little bit, "Nine?"

"Uh-huh, I got the first three done at the same and got hooked. I blame Puck for introducing me to the place."

Blaine let out a quiet laugh and shuffled a bit closer so that when Kurt didn't focus on too hard his eyes blurred into one large golden-brown orb. "I like them."

Kurt raised both eyebrows and smirked at him. "Really?"

Blaine's soft smile morphed into a grin, "Uh-huh, turns out the whole bad-boy image really works for me."

"Well that's a very good thing isn't it?" He didn't give Blaine a chance to answer before he was leaning forward, placing his lips over Blaine's and moving impossibly closer.

* * *

Kurt jolted awake to sound of the front door slamming as Finn left for the garage. He leant up on his elbows slightly to glance over to his alarm clock, half past eight. "Fucking hell." He groaned dropping his head back down onto the mattress, arms clutching the pillow just above his head tighter as he yawned. He rolled his head to the left to see Blaine shifting to onto his side to face him, frowning slightly as he began to wake up.

A small whimper escaped his lips causing Kurt to bite back a giggle, Blaine's frown deepened as he opened his eyes in the muted morning light. "Too early."

Kurt did laugh at that. "Finn likes to think he still lives in a barn. Shutting doors quietly isn't a skill he has." He pulled a face at how rusty his voice sounds so he kept everything at a whisper.

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut and moved to burry his face in the spot next to his shoulder, tugging the covers up to his nose. "Too early."

Kurt's still laughing quietly as he snuggled further down into the warmth provided by the covers and now Blaine's body heat. "Is that all you can say?"

"No. Need coffee...it's early."

"Go back to sleep." He dropped a kiss to Blaine's hairline, pulling a face at the gel that he forgot to wash out last night before thinking _fuck it; it's too early to care_ and keeping his face pressed to the top of Blaine's head.

Blaine shakes his head and tries to press himself closer into the mattress and Kurt's side; "I'm 'wake now."

"Barely." Kurt perked up slightly when he remembers the cheesecake they didn't eat last night that he mercifully shoved into the fridge on their way up to his bedroom. Cheesecake for breakfast sounds really good. Cheesecake for breakfast in bed sounds even better so he rolls to side and stumbles out of the mess of covers and Blaine makes an affronted sound, opens his eyes and fixes them blearily on Kurt.

"No...warm."

"I'll be back."

"But...warm."

Kurt moved sluggishly downstairs, shuffles over to the fridge to pull out the box, grabs two forks from a draw. The coffee pot was still full from Finn's small mug he only ever has before he leaves for work this early so Kurt filled two. Although he doesn't always like black coffee he does drink it and knows Blaine does and it might be the thing needed to get the other boy to move towards using full sentences.

He backed into his room feeling like a balancing act with the box, cutlery and mugs. Blaine's eye's are closed but he lifts his head almost as soon as Kurt's toed the bedroom door shut again, squinted eyes following as he makes his way back to his side, places the mugs down on the nightstand before climbing awkwardly back under the covers.

"Is that the cheesecake?" Blaine's voice is croaky but at least it's more than two words.

"Mmhmm and coffee if you want - "

"Gimme!" Blaine sat up against the headboard half slumped against Kurt's side all the while making grabby hands for one of the mugs, letting out a happy hum when Kurt passed him one.

Kurt smiled at the childlike joy giving Blaine a cup of coffee seemed to invoke, though granted it was early and Blaine seemed like even less of a morning person than _he_ was, before grabbing one of the forks and diving into his breakfast, pretty much shovelling twice as much as he should be able to fit in his mouth in.

Blaine snorted looking highly amused.

Kurt swallowed as much as he could, "Shu' up, issh fuckin' goo'."

Blaine let out a tired sounding laugh, "I'm sorry; what was that again?" Kurt narrowed his eyes at him before poking the shin closest to him with his toe. Blaine jerked his leg away still giggling and leant across Kurt to place his coffee back, grab and fork and take a small amount of cake.

Kurt raised his eyebrows almost expectantly. "Well?"

Blaine moaned in response much to Kurt's smug satisfaction. "See, it's amazing."

Blaine nodded silently, his mouth full with more fruity cheesecake. His table...well, bed manners were clearly slightly better than Kurt's who sometimes talked despite having just taken a bite of pizza. Blaine took another bite of cheesecake looking almost thoughtful as he chewed.

"What?"

"Only me and Quinn know about what happened don't we?"

Kurt visibly tensed all over, Christ he thought they were done with this now that it was all out in the open. "That's what I said."

"He threatened to kill you."

Kurt made a non-committal nose, eyes kept firmly on the box in front of him before he took another forkful.

"Kurt..."

"No one did anything okay? Fucking Figgins is useless anyway with bullying and Coach Sylvester was acting principle and said it was my word against his. No one on a school board in Ohio of all places is gonna believe the token gay kid over the football player."

Kurt shifted under Blaine's gaze, it's not like he didn't realise how serious it was. He told Quinn that if she told anyone he'd deny everything and she only saw him getting beat up - she doesn't know about the stares or the touches or the threats. He sighed when Blaine's stare didn't let up, "I have less than a year left to be spent in this hell-hole with the likes of him okay? It'll be fine."

"Okay, I'll drop it," seeing Kurt about to open his mouth he hastily added, "if you tell me whenever something happens with him or...or anyone."

The other boy rolled his eyes but consented after making Blaine promise the same thing. _We really need a subject change, this is all getting too morbid for nine am._

"When's your birthday? You said you were seventeen last night..."

"January twelfth, what about yours?"

"October twenty-seventh; so you're still younger than me!"

"That's in two weeks."

Kurt nodded, too busy digging into more cake to provide a real answer. "Mmph!" A sharp jab to his ribs caused him to jerk his eyes up to Blaine who was staring at him expectantly. "Whaaat?"

"Were you going to tell me?"

"Umm, I feel like the right answer is yes?" His voice went up at the end turning it into a question as he looked uncertainly at the other boy who merely quirked one eyebrow. "Yes...yes I was?"

"Is that a question or an answer?" Blaine smirked. "Have any plans?"

"Nope, I'll probably go out to a bar with Puck and Quinn if they can get a babysitter. I think that's Puck's plan...we'll have to get you a fake ID so you can come...if you want that is, I'm not saying you have to I just meant that - " he was cut of Blaine leaning into peck him lightly on the lips, pulling away far too quickly for Kurt's liking. He managed to refrain from whining.

"I'll be there."

* * *

**Also planning on posting another one-shot for This Is Our Time later as well as writing up a Glee/Charmed crossover (sorta...it will be Klaine) for when this is nearly finished. **


	12. Chapter 11

___Okay so, I'm aware it's been forever in terms of how much I update but I've recently moved and have no internet until the start of November - I'm actually sitting in my Uni's caf section in the library doing this in my free periods. It's killing me, I've never spent this much time in school and lugging my laptop to and from on the day's i'm in or my days off is a pain in the arse.__  
__This is where it earns it's M rating and it's the first time I've ever even attempted to write smut so everyone send flowers and hugs to Sami for being my beta. 3  
I'm up on tumblr with the URL gablaar where this is also found. The drabbles I keep writing and never posting will also go up on there soon too.  
I'll stop rambling now, so here it is and enjoy. Like always - this is for Hanny._

* * *

"Hey, so Puck's going to get you an ID for tomorrow night later today; do you still think you're gonna be able to make it?"

Kurt leant against the locker next to Blaine's as he rooted around inside for his textbooks. "Hi, I'm pretty sure my parents are off to...somewhere for a business trip...I didn't really listen to them." He flashed a sheepish smile that still somehow managed to be about a thousand watts. "It doesn't matter, I'll be there anyway."

Kurt glared at a passing freshman whose eyes lingered too long on the pair of them before rolling his head to look back at Blaine. "If they end up being at home we can just smuggle you into mine. Dad and Carole are home this weekend to get some shit done for the election so we'll have to be sneaky but it'll work."

Blaine shut his locker door and turned to face the other boy, eyebrows raised in slight confusion "I thought Quinn was gonna crash at yours? Would it really be a big deal if I was there too?"

Kurt pushed back the urge to kiss the creases in his brow away. It was one thing to slowly allow himself to be comfortable letting Blaine see a softer side to him but there was no way in Hell he was letting anyone in this cesspool catch so much as a glimpse of it. Kissing his lips is one thing, brushing them over Blaine's forehead is another entirely; at least that's what he tells himself.

"Puck's mom is babysitting Beth so she's just going to crash at his house. They'll probably have sex...lucky bastard." He muttered the last part under his breath; thankfully Blaine seemed not to hear him. They'd only been dating (_were they dating?) _for a few weeks, neither of them had even said the B-word yet so Kurt's pretty sure it's far too soon to be thinking about jumping into bed with him. Well, jumping naked into bed with him.

Blinking away the image of a naked sweaty Blaine lying under him Kurt ran the hand that wasn't tangling itself with Blaine's through his now turquoise streaked hair. The halls were slowly draining of students all rushing to get home or to a club. Blaine was currently leading Kurt towards the Auditorium for a spur of the moment rehearsal for the school musical. Kurt had grumbled good-naturedly over it taking away time they could be spending together, scoffing when Blaine suggested he audition himself.

He had, however, snuck into one of their rehearsals at the beginning of the week and he could safely say he would drag Quinn to the opening night...in the back so no one saw them, but with a stupidly large bouquet of flowers because this boy, _his boy,_was ridiculously talented.

"I have no idea how long Artie and Rachel are going to keep us."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "I thought he was the director...what's Berry got to do with how long this goes on?"

"She's Rachel Berry. It's safer for everyone if we just do what she says...within reason. Or until Santana threatens to go all Lima Heights on her." The last part is added as an afterthought judging by the face Blaine pulls.

Sniggering Kurt squeezes the hand of Blaine's that's in his, "fair enough, umm, I should finish work by seven so call me later tonight?"

Blaine hums in agreement, leans in to place a light kiss to the corner of Kurt's mouth, letting out a please laugh when Kurt grabs his button up's collar and tugs him back in for a proper kiss goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow." He whispers against the other boy's mouth, placing a quick peck on to them before pulling back and walking towards his car.

* * *

Puck's sitting on the hood of his truck when Kurt comes out of the office after changing into his standard baggy jeans and white t-shirt. "Dude, got the IDs for tomorrow man."

Kurt whips a dirty rag from a nearby counter at the mohawked teen. "Shut the fuck up dumbass. If my dad finds out what we're really doing tomorrow night we're screwed."

Puck has the decency to look sheepish as Kurt stalks towards the hydraulic lift holding a wrecked looking old Ford Fiesta. _This thing must be older than me._ Puck's silent as he raises the car above his head, takes a look underneath the poor machine and lets out a low whistle. "Fuck me, what have they been doing to you?"

Shaking his head Kurt ducks back over to where Puck's sprawled on top of his hunk of rust next to Kurt's station. He slides down to the floor and leans against the metal counter-top while Kurt roots around in his tool box. Rolling his eyes at Puck's supposedly covert glance around the garage Kurt gives up for the moment and turns toward his friend.

"Look, I got your boy an ID for tomorrow. Got us all new ones too 'cause the replacements we got last time are shit man."

Kurt jerks his head up at that. "What why? Our old ones work Puck - why mess with a good thing?"

"Dude, they said we were like thirty and yours claimed you were from Hawaii," the other boy looks Kurt up and down, pointedly starting at his exposed yet pale arms, "these are from the same guy we got the first ones from. He owes me for cleaning his grandma's pool for free so I only paid for Blaine's." He pulls out four plastic driver's licenses from his wallet and slides them over for Kurt to check.

They look good, ten times better than their last ones at least. "Okay, but why can't we just use the other ones?"

Puck rolls his eyes in a manner that reminds Kurt so much of himself that he has to force himself not to laugh or point it out; he's pretty sure Puck would get pissy about it. "We're going out in Columbus; it's prestigious man. Why the fuck are you laughin'?"

"Sorry," Kurt chokes out, "I'm sorry but you know what 'prestigious' means!" He bit his lip trying to hold back more chuckles while Puck just glowered at him.

"Fuck off Hummel - I ain't Finnocence, I know shit okay?" He punched Kurt's shoulder when he still couldn't stop giggling. Making a valiant effort to put on a straight face Kurt grabbed the tools needed and headed back over to the car. Puck followed whispering excitedly over his plans for tomorrow night; "It's gonna be fuckin' epic man!"

* * *

When Kurt walked through his front door he mumbled out a tired 'hello' to Carole who gave him an amused smile as he stumbled past her towards the stairs. _Shower, shower then sleep. Or food, food then sleep._

He turned the shower as hot as he could stand it, scrubbing himself down until the water ran clear as opposed to grey with grease. Despite being more than clean after his torturous shift Kurt stayed in the shower for twenty minutes longer than necessary. Thank God he didn't have work tomorrow - Finn could finish off that bitch of a Fiesta.

Grumbling to himself over the state of it; he'd spent the majority of his shift on it and still had to leave the rest for Finn to take care of tomorrow morning, Kurt climbed out of the tub, patted himself dry before slinging one towel around his hips and using another to dry his hair off as he walked into his room.

"We really need to stop meeting like this."

Quinn was lounging up against the headboard of his bed, Beth cuddled up on his pillow dozing as she played with her teddy bear and a sandwich sitting on his nightstand.

Kurt froze mid-rub, moved the towel so it was hanging around his neck before making sure the one around his hips was firmly in place and glaring at his best friend. "What is it with you and walking in on me half naked? It's becoming a problem Quinnie."

Quinn smirked as she moved to lay down head propped on her elbow to see him over Beth's head. "You should be flattered, if you weren't my best friend or gay...actually no, I could get past the friend thing, if you weren't _gay_ we would make an awesome power couple, plus we're both hot."

"And yet, I'm only slightly flattered and mostly unnerved." He moved to his night stand to grab some underwear before moving over to his closet, standing out of view to change into one of his few pairs of sweat pants and a faded 'Hummel's Tires and Lube' t-shirt. "What're you doing here? I didn't realise we were having a sleepover tonight." He grabbed the sandwich, still standing as he tore into it, moaning at the taste. "Fank'oo."

"Thank your step-mother tomorrow, she handed it to me after letting me in. Thought you might be hungry." Quinn gently tugged the teddy's ear away from Beth's mouth to replace with a pacifier before answering, "Mom has a date. I do not want to be anywhere near that house when she comes home." She ran the hand Beth hadn't grabbed hold of roughly through her short pink locks, "she's only doing this to prove a point. She's not over dad, but he's sleeping around so she's started going on all these dates with complete losers in some warped rebound attempt. She needs to be alone; she doesn't need to find the next a-s-s-h-o-l-e husband. Just because dad is drilling everything in a short skirt that'll let him doesn't mean she needs to stoop to his level to get even."

Kurt threw his towels over the back of his vanity's chair before crawling onto the bed on Beth's other side, laying down and stretching his arm over the baby to tangle his fingers with Quinn's. Beth babbled happily as she abandoned her bear in favour of grabbing both teenagers hands and performing some sort of drumming beat on them. He squeezed her hand and remained silent until she let out a harsh breath; her body relaxing back into the pillows as she smile ruefully at him.

"So," Kurt rolled so that he could prop himself up onto his elbows as he fixed the other skank with a mock-serious stare, "I gather we are now being responsible role-models for Trouble here." Beth moved onto her back to grin up at him around her pacifier at the sound of her nickname. Quinn didn't always appreciate it but he and Puck started it when she began crawling and got into everything.

"She's started talking more, granted most of it's gibberish with the odd bit of English thrown in but I don't really want her to be adding swear-words to her vocabulary until she's in high-school. Sadly," she pouted at this, blowing a raspberry on Beth's palm when the toddler patter her mother's lips frowning slightly, "this means I need to start putting in a valiant effort to stop smoking and not just keep saying it whilst smoking."

Kurt groaned into the back of Beth's hair making the baby giggle shrilly. "But we like smoking!"

"I know...buuut it does mean no having to outside and freeze when it gets cold for a cigarette and having more money."

"I hear it greatly reduces the chances of Cancer too."

"Yes that's definitely something to put on the pro-list."

Kurt raised an eyebrow at her, "there's a list?"

"Uh-huh. A Pros and Cons list to be precise. Pros are less chance of dying from cancer, more money, no standing out in the cold, clothes no longer smelling of smoke...Beth not being around me while I smell of smoke."

Kurt nodded, "All very important things. What are the cons?"

Quinn let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whine, "It's going to be soooo hard!"

Again Kurt nodded before sighing. "I'll quit with you. We said we'd do it last month anyway."

"You don't have to do that Kurt; I'm only doing it for Beth. Plus Puck really doesn't like it oddly enough so he's been nagging me for ages now."

Kurt sighed and moved onto his back again, one arm wrapping around Beth when she wiggled over to wedge herself into his side, thumb now firmly in place of her pacifier and teddy being squeezed to death in both arms. "I know, but I'm around Beth a lot and as much as Blaine never says anything or doesn't actively mind me smoking he always pulls a face when I light up or kiss him after having one. I mean he mentions that I should stop in passing and it's always teasing but I know he doesn't like it."

Quinn pouted and snuggled closer, Kurt unwound his arm from Beth to wrap it around Quinn instead, effectively sandwiching Beth between them. Based on the sleepy but happy giggle she let out she didn't mind one bit. He yawned and debated getting up verses just going to bed. He closed his eyes as Beth, already in her pyjamas and half asleep, wriggled her little body tighter into his side, one hand clutching his t-shirt while sucking away at the other's thumb, green eyes blinking constantly as she tried to stay awake.

"Hey, have you eaten at all tonight other than just now? A ham salad sub isn't really dinner." He kept his eyes closed as he felt Q brush his hair back softly while he nodded.

"Ate at the shop...dad got pizza." He mumbled, he'd stayed until close so his dad could do some work on his campaign, which despite being a relatively slow night meant after shutting at eight he'd stayed til nine to cash-up, clear everything away and then lock up.

"Okay, I'm going to get ready for bed, go to sleep...do you want me to put Beth in the cot?"

"No, it'sh fine," he vaguely noticed the slurring of his words as he rolled onto his side, curling around Beth, "she'll only wake up and wanna sleep in the bed."

"Okay." Kurt was aware of Quinn moving around his room as she got ready bed, felt her tug the covers out from underneath him, grumbling at his half-asleep form and poking at the body parts she wanted him to move before she got in and pulled them up to his shoulder.

* * *

When Kurt wakes up the next morning it was to a patch of sunlight stubbornly shining over his eye, Beth still cuddled into his chest and Quinn face down on the other side of the bed. Moving one arm clumsily around behind him he managed to locate his phone, brining it in front of squinted eyes and groaning at the seven-forty-five along the top of the screen before smiling slightly at the text he could see from Blaine. He shifted a bit, biting his lip as Beth stirred and moved to lay on her tummy, one hand firmly gripping the arm of Kurt's just above her head, to open the message.

It was simple but the time stamp showed it had been sent at midnight making Kurt's previously half-asleep smile widen. _I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday. Sweet dreams and I'll see you later today x_

He sent back a quick _Thank you, though I hope you don't think a text counts as my present x_ mentally crossing his fingers that Blaine didn't get woken up by his phone; it was bad enough that he was awake and Blaine was just as bad as him in the mornings.

He shoved his phone under his pillow before shuffling down until the patch of sunlight was no longer hovering over his face. Quinn mumbled something in her sleep before moving from her face down position to on her side with her back facing him. Her movement along with his snickering at her mumbling caused Beth to whimper slightly, her little body shifting she woke, lifting her head to look over to Quinn before blinking up at Kurt. He was honestly surprised she hadn't woken up earlier but she did go to bed later than normal last night.

"Good mornin' sunshine." He whispered, placing a kiss on her nose as she wriggled her way up so that her head was tucked bellow his chin. Moving so that both arms were hugging her Kurt ran one hand up and down her back gently, hoping that he might be able to get her back to sleep and get a few more hours himself. Of course hoping for more hours would probably be in vain despite it being his birthday but he could hope. If Beth was really ready to be awake she'd probably start babbling away to him as well as demand that Quinn wake up so maybe he could get another hour at least.

He didn't manage an hour but he did get forty-five minutes so maybe he should count himself lucky he muses as he runs a hand through his already atrocious hair. Quinn is still asleep, looking dead to the world with no intention of changing that anytime soon but Beth is now sat up, chatting away in her own language to her teddy bear, squealing happily when she saw Kurt watching her with an indulging smile.

"Shh, we don't want wake up mommy; she can scary in the mornings can't she?" He mimed shushing her, chuckling lowly when she copied him before shuffling forward on her bottom to sit with her back against the pillows. She gently laid her teddy down, Kurt nit back a laugh when she pulled the covers up to its neck and kissed one of it's eyes, before she patted her hand against Kurt's lips followed by her own. He placed a loud smacking kiss on her cheek shushing her again when she giggled shrilly before placing her own, slightly wetter, kiss on his cheek. "Oh, thank you sweetie!"

A groan came from the other side of the bed as Quinn rolled back onto her stomach, head facing them but half covered with pink hair so only one bleary green eye and part of her face was visible. "Oh Beth, I think mommy needs some kisses too, don't you?" The little girl didn't seem to realise her mother was half asleep still as she threw herself forward almost face-planting as she kissed Quinn's eye.

"Careful baby," came the croaked reply followed by a "hate you Kurt."

"It's my birthday."

"So?"

"So, lay off the hate or I'll kick you."

"Mmm 'kick you bac'k." It was probably meant to sound threatening but the slurring and large yawn that immediately followed dampened its severity. Kurt prodded her with a toe. "Urgh, for God's sake what?"

"Wow, you must be tired, look at you taking the Lord's name in vain!" He jerked his leg back quickly so that her kick missed before prodding her again. "C'mon, I want pancakes!"

"Beth tell Uncle Kurt to make his own pancakes."

"But it's my biiiiiiirthday woman!"

Quinn lifted her head to glare at him, flipping him off behind Beth's back before burrowing deeper into the pillows. "In a minute, sleeping."

Beth chose that moment to beat her mother over the head with her bear.

* * *

Thanks to Beth, and honestly Kurt was still having to hide his laughter behind hands and small children, Quinn dragged herself out of bed and lead them down to the kitchen leaving Kurt to grab her daughter. Which was probably safer considering Kurt had Beth give him double high fives before scrambling out of bed himself at Quinn's yell to hurry up or go hungry.

It probably wasn't the wisest choice to point out that Beth's sudden penchant for hitting was clearly a learned habit from Quinn herself, "serves you right really, I told you hitting me and Puck all the time would cause her to resort to violence." He delighted in the fact that instead of following in her mother's footsteps the toddler had turned against her instead but that just resulted in a sharp smack upside the head when Beth was busy making a mess with her pancakes.

So he kept his mouth shut and giggles hidden. He did text Puck and tell him though, the other boy immediately responded with how proud he was but disappointed he missed it.

They spent the rest of the day lounging around watching TV and playing with Beth when she woke from her naps. They eventually moved upstairs to start getting ready for tonight before Blaine came over, keeping Beth occupied by Kurt's Hercules DVD; Quinn would pull out her phone to film her every time she started to dance along.

"Quinn, you've got like ten videos already and you're only half dressed!" Kurt's words lost their sharpness with the smile on his face as he watched his best friend try to get Beth to dance again as she knelt on the floor in just a leather mini-skirt and bra.

"You know what, until you have kids and manage to not film them dancing to Disney you can shut it!" She glared at him before turning back to her daughter, "c'mon baby, you gonna dance so daddy can see?"

Kurt snorted and turned back to his closet to yank on a pair of jeans and pulling his t-shirt off to browse his shirts. "And you can't talk about being half naked 'Oh Shirtless One'."

Rolling his eyes Kurt yanked a charcoal coloured shirt off of a hanger and pulled it on. "Whatever, get dressed, I don't care how trashy this place ends up being I can't let you go out in your underwear and looking like a hooker, if anything Puck will kill me."

Beth leant around her mother, whining as she blocked the TV so Quinn huffed and stood up to pull on her top for tonight (a navy blue vest style button up with a black lace back) before bumping her hips with his lightly to share his mirror space as they did their hair and in Q's case - make-up.

Kurt rubbed a small amount of wax in his hands before running them both through his hair to put it in a state of artful disarray before spraying it with hairspray, playfully spraying Quinn when she elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

The doorbell rang out while Kurt was arranging a series of wrist bands and cuffs on either arm, footsteps followed before Blaine walked through his bedroom door. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of skinny fit jeans that were rolled up at the ankles, his bare feet shoved deep into Kurt's carpet as he fiddled with the black bowtie tied at the base of his throat over a dark green plaid shirt.

"You two make me sick. Save the mental undressing for later okay?" Quinn's voice jerked Kurt back to the present as opposed to staring at Blaine's arms encased in his shirt. Kurt was glad he wasn't the only one blushing; Blaine's cheeks slowly turned to a pale pink at the comment and he cleared his throat nervously which called Beth's attention away from the antics of Hercules towards the door. Her head tilted to the side as she stared at Blaine, trying to remember if she knew him before she clapped her hands and squealed out what Kurt assumed was supposed to be hello.

Blaine's eyes flicked over to Kurt for guidance (Quinn had turned back to mirror, focussing on her make-up now that her hair was finished in a messy up do). "She wants you to sit with her."

"Really?"

He bit back the sarcastic retort begging to be let out in favour of rolling his eyes and sitting down behind Beth, patting the space beside him. Beth crawled her way into Kurt's lap, turning to hand Blaine her bear before leaning back into Kurt's chest every now and again happily squealing, whenever Hades came on screen, blowing raspberries.

"You really don't like Hades do you honey?"

"NO!"

Blaine chuckled lightly next to them. "You're good with her."

Kurt blushed and opened his mouth to answer before he was interrupted.

"You two are nauseatingly sweet; it's horrific really." Quinn was now ready, a heavy looking denim jacket over her outfit, a black bandana tied in a knot at the top of her head and black DMs on her feet. Beth lost interest in the two boys, pulling herself up into a standing position, using Kurt as a human prop and holding out her free hand to Quinn who immediately softened and picked the baby up.

"She's a lot less scary holding a baby." Blaine muttered under his breath.

Kurt managed to pass his laugh off as a cough as he stood up to shove his feet into his white Doc Martens. "Shall we go?"

* * *

Quinn volunteered to be their designated driver so they didn't have to spend a small fortune on a taxi ride home once they got to Pucks to pick him up and drop Beth off to spend the night with his mom. The grabbed drive thru McDonalds for dinner and headed off to Columbus.

"What exactly is the plan Puck?" Kurt said from the back seat where he and Blaine were sitting to Puck who called Shotgun after kissing Beth goodbye.

He turned around to face them ignoring Quinn's shout of annoyance. "Ah man it's gonna be epic! We're going to that indie hole-in-wall club around the corner from that bar we normally go to. Apparently it's, like, 'gay-friendly' without being dick-central and it has awesome music...sometimes there's live bands and on Saturdays annnd I think Thursdays as well they have offers on drinks. So me and Quinn hooked us up with a booth and because we booked a booth we get like half off on drinks until midnight."

Kurt nodded appreciatively, "I'm impressed Puck - for a moment the other month I was convinced you were going to drag me to a strip club."

"I considered it but I figured Blaine wouldn't be happy and I'm not sure I could spend the whole evening looking at cocks for you man. I mean, you're my bro and I can recognise hotness when I see it but I like boobs."

Quinn shot him a glare that neither boy in the back missed due to the rear-view mirror, Kurt bit his lip as Blaine sniggered.

"Eloquently put as always Puckerman."

Kurt spent the rest of the drive sharing kisses with Blaine, some chaste and other's not-so-chase, whenever they thought the other two were too busy to notice them, sadly it didn't always work. "For fucks sake Kurt! Keep it in your god damned pants until you are out of my fucking car!"

"Leave him alone babe, it's the man's birthday - he's entitled to gettin' some ass!"

Blaine buried his face into Kurt's neck, thought Kurt wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment or laughter due to the boys pink cheeks but constant giggles. "Look, hold off for five minutes okay, we're here."

The club turned out to be more of a bar with a modest dance floor in front of a stage. Booths and tables lined the walls with the bar situated at the very back, opposite the stage where a DJ was set up. Despite the small nature of the venue it seemed like a popular place, already filling up with kids who either snuck in like them or who were in college intent on spending their Saturday night blowing off steam and dancing.

Kurt had to hand it to him, Puck had done well. The new IDs Puck had scored got them all entry without event the smallest hesitation unlike their old ones might have and he could honestly see himself having a good time here tonight. If all went well they'd definitely come back.

Puck disappeared when they arrived, Kurt assumed it was to enquire about their booth and discounted drinks so he grabbed Blaine's hand and linked his other arm with Quinn's before dragging them over to the bar for their first round of drinks.

Puck came running back over, grinning, just as their drinks were placed on the bar, batting Quinn's hand out of the way when she went to pay and sliding over some bills to cover them. He slung an arm around her shoulders and nodded with his head for them to follow. Blaine wrapped his arm around Kurt's waist and handing him his Corona before grabbing his own and heading over to where Quinn and Puck were now sitting, looking remarkably comfortable on the black leather bench.

Kurt raised his eyebrows meaningfully at Quinn as he slid in after Blaine, narrowing his eyes when she kicked him lightly in the shins; her meaning abundantly clear, 'shut up'. He abandoned their short staring competition in favour of leaning into Blaine's side and taking a swig of his drink, he smirked when he saw Quinn let herself get pulled tighter into Puck's side. They would definitely be talking about this; she can't give him shit about how he acts with Blaine when she's in limbo with Puck still.

"So, I would like to raise a toast," Puck held his beer bottle up into the air, ignoring the death glare Kurt was giving him, staring each of them down until they had raised their own bottles, "to my best gay on his birthday. Let's get wasted!" He slammed the bottle necks together, downed his drink and prodded Quinn out of the booth before dragging her off to the rapidly filling dance floor.

Kurt snorted at his friends; they seriously needed to get their acts together. Shaking his head, still smiling, he took another mouthful of his drink, smiling wider when he felt Blaine turn to talk into his ear, lips brushing softly against it. "We should follow their lead."

* * *

Kurt wasn't sure how long they danced for only that he was half way done with his sixth drink (this time a Captain Morgan's and Coke), his shirt that had been buttoned to his throat had the top three buttons undone and that he and Blaine were moving past dancing and more towards grinding with each song. Quinn and Puck had returned to their booth and every time he caught sight of them they were making out. Somewhere in the back of his drunken - _no, not drunk, just tipsy_ - mind Kurt delighted that she wouldn't be able to use the alcohol as an excuse seeing as she cut herself off after two drinks and had been on water since then.

Damp lips on his neck dragged his attention back to the dance floor and the warm body pressed flush against his. Hips glued to his own, strong arms around his back and Blaine's face resting in the crook of his neck, lips moving haphazardly around the area they could reach without moving his head from Kurt's shoulder. He couldn't tell because of the volume of the music but he's pretty sure he moaned.

Blaine pulled back and Kurt nearly whimpered at him to _no, stop, go back,_ before he was being tugged down to meet Blaine's mouth in a harsh kiss; all lips and teeth and tongue. Even when he felt himself run out of air Kurt merely moved to return the favour of running his mouth up and down the right side of Blaine's neck - the left wasn't as sensitive but he still made sure to give it some attention - alternating between sucking kisses, licking and biting at points. He revelled in the tiny held in moans he could feel vibrating in the other boy's neck.

Tracing butterfly kisses up to Blaine's ear he nipped at the lobe before leaning in so Blaine could hear him "I'm going to go pee!"

Blaine blinked in an almost dazed fashion, he'd had only slightly less to drink than Kurt but he knew that Blaine had never really drunk like this before and to top it off he was a bigger lightweight than Kurt. "I'll be at the bar!" He had to yell it now that they had more than half an inch of space between them.

_Shit, this is the downside of drinking_ Kurt mussed as he hurried into the men's room to relieve himself for the third time that night. Once he was done he washed his hands, smiling goofily at his reflection, Puck did good, he'd never had a birthday with friends since he was a little kid.

Last year had just been dinner at Breadstix with the glee girls and they all ended up talking about their relationship dramas instead. And while Puck and Quinn did keep making out, Q kept getting people to buy him drinks or shots by flirting lightly and Puck would toast him loudly without fail whenever he had another beverage in his hands. Blaine was the best though, every now and again he would lean in to Kurt's ear and sing in a whisper only he could hear "happy birthday".

It was definitely a good night. Tomorrow... or maybe later today, he's not really sure how late it is, he'll get to wake up in Blaine's bed before going home to have a birthday dinner with his family and get his presents.

He walked out of the bathroom and towards the bar to find Blaine still smiling widely, happily accepting a drink from Quinn when he passed their table, thrusting his fist into the air when Puck screamed out "HAPPY FUCKING BIRTHDAY MAN!" with his own fists raised, drink forgotten now.

His smile slipped when he spotted Blaine, looking slightly flustered and a tiny bit uncomfortable as a taller guy crowed him into the bar. As he moved closer he began to catch their somewhat slurred conversation.

"Look, 'm flattered, but 'm seeing someone." Blaine's eyes were loosing their glazed look as they searched the crowed bar.

"And I told you - he doesn't have to know."

"Okay, I really like him so that's not gonna 'appen." Blaine's eyes finally landed on Kurt, looking slightly relieved and at the same time almost as if they were begging him for something. He almost stopped to try and figure out exactly what when bar-guy's hand not leaning on the bar reached for Blaine's arm.

_Oh fuck no._ "There you are!" He slipped in between them, wrapping his arm around Blaine's waist and kissing him in full view of the other guy, "sorry, couldn't see you." He smiled vindictively at the other guy when he turned away from Blaine's stunned face to take a sip of his drink, _hmm vodka, well done Q_.

"Umm, hi, this er is..."

"Sebastian." The other guy - _Sebastian_- supplied, his eyes dragging up and down Kurt with a look of disdain that Kurt easily matched. "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"I'm Kurt, Blaine's boyfriend." He stopped his eyes from flicking over to Blaine when he felt the other boy tense briefly before relaxing into his side slightly.

"Right, um, Sebastian goes t' Dalton now - he rec'nised me from the Warbler photos." Blaine looked like he wasn't quite sure what was going on while the other two stared each other down.

"Lovely," Kurt offered one more 'back the fuck off' smile before turning his back on the other boy to face Blaine, "c'mon baby, I wanna dance more!"

Blaine said a hasty goodbye to Sebastian, _dickhead, _before grabbing the drink he'd ordered and letting Kurt drag him into the middle of the dance floor, the sounds of Fallout Boy pouring from the speakers on each side of the stage. "What was that 'bout?"

Kurt just shook his head, tugging the junior closer until they were once again kissing. Blaine made a soft surprised sound against his mouth before Kurt felt him smile and melt against him as he let Kurt lead, the kiss eventually becoming more and more frantic and the song changed to Spaceman by the Killers. Kurt used the pace of the song to dictate the depth of their kiss.

He pulled back to rest his forehead against Blaine's, placing soft pecks onto his swollen lips as Blaine opened his eyes and smiled that stupidly wonderful ten-thousand-watt smile. "What?"

"You're my boyfriend."

"I am."

"We should go home."

Kurt frowned, he didn't want to go home, he was having fun drinking and dancing with his friends - why would he want to go home now?

Blaine squeezed his sides meaningfully. "We should really go home." Kurt nodded dumbly as it dawned on him what Blaine was saying and he swiftly grabbed Blaine's hand dragging him towards their booth to see Quinn laughing at a completely trashed Puck dance at the edge of the table, eyes closed and arms moving in an odd swaying motion completely out of time to the music. _Looks like I'm the one getting sex tonight Puckerman. _

* * *

By the time Quinn dropped them off at Blaine's reminding them to grab Kurt's overnight bag from her trunk and assuring them that she could get Puck into bed fine by herself (he was fast asleep face smashed against the passenger window of her car) they'd sobered up slightly. Apparently an almost two hour drive filled with sexual tension, heated glances and Quinn forcing water bottles at them would do that.

They almost fell through the front door as they tried to wrap themselves together; tongues battling for dominance as Blaine clumsily kicked the door shut and began to walk backwards to the stairs, pulling Kurt along with him by the still open collar of his shirt.

"Are you..._shit..._are you sure?" Kurt breathed out as Blaine bit into the section where his neck met shoulder just below his scar, groaning when he felt Blaine's tongue sooth the bite.

"Uh-huh...not, not all the way but, _fuck,_ I want you so bad Kurt."

At that Kurt yanked the other boy off of him to gently shove him up the staircase and towards his bedroom. Blaine had barely got across the threshold before Kurt was pushing him in, slamming the door shut behind them and shoving Blaine up against it as he dropped his bag on the floor next to his desk.

"Say it again."

Kurt pulled away to frown at Blaine as his hands worked on getting his untied bowtie (_when did that happen?) _out of the way so he could remove his shirt. "Say what again?"

"That you're my..." he hissed as Kurt got the top few buttons open and bent to nip playfully at his collar bone, "my boyfriend."

Kurt pulled away to tug Blaine back from the door enough to shove his shirt down his arms, swearing when it got caught on the boys watch. Blaine laughed pulling at it a few times to get it free before looking back at the skank almost shyly.

Kurt blushed lightly, some of the urgency having dissipated, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Umm, is that, is that okay...me saying that I'm you're boyfriend? Should I have asked first? Isn't that what people normally do?"

Blaine shrugged grinning widely, "probably, but we're not exactly what the world considers normal are we?" He moved to crowd Kurt into the bed as he undid the remaining buttons on Kurt's top before sliding it down his arms and dropping it on the floor at the foot of his bed. "Say it again."

Kurt grinned, grabbing Blaine's belt loops before leaning in to whisper "I'm your boyfriend," against Blaine's parted lips before letting himself fall onto the bed, pulling Blaine down with him by the grip on his jeans. He let out a bark of laughter at the undignified yet endearing yelp that escaped Blaine as he landed. "Hi."

The junior moved so that he was hovering face to face with him, "hi." He could feel every inch of Blaine against him. He'd known Blaine was hard, he'd felt it more than once at the bar as they danced, but this was different. This wasn't them half-hard from dancing on top of each other this was undressing and lying in a bed and having the intention of going further.

Kurt leant up for a kiss and tugged lightly at the belt loops his fingers were still tangled in. "Your turn...say it."

Blaine lowered himself down to his forearms, "I'm you're boyfriend."

Kurt groaned as Blaine let himself drop the rest of the way for a kiss that was far dirtier than any they'd shared so far, his hands wandering blindly down to Blaine's fly to unbutton his jeans and roughly start shoving them down over his ass. _Oh god, his ass, _he was right from the start, Blaine had an amazing ass, it was even better to be able to grab onto it with only Blaine's thin boxer briefs in the way.

He couldn't help it, he squeezed, grinning wolfishly when Blaine whimpered and jerked down, his cock grinding down against Kurt's own - the denim off his own jeans did nothing to stop the intense wave of pleasure shooting up his spine. Using his grip on Blaine's ass and bracing himself on one leg Kurt deftly flipped them so he was on top, moving to sit up and ignoring Blaine's "what, no! Come back!" and yanking his jeans off all the way before hastily removing his own and crawling back to hover over Blaine.

He searched his eyes quickly for even the smallest hint of hesitance, finding only want, before keeping his eyes locked on Blaine's and lowering his hips slowly into the cradle of Blaine's. He sucked in a gasp as the other boy immediately moaned and let his legs fall apart, feet flat on the mattress, so Kurt could lie between them. "_Shit Blaine." _

"Don't you dare stop." Blaine's hands flew to Kurt's rear, gripping his ass and using it to pull Kurt's lower body repeatedly into his own, choking on a breath as their cocks finally aligned.

Kurt buried his face into Blaine's neck, he couldn't concentrate enough to kiss him and keep his cock grinding into Blaine's at the same time, and at the moment chasing the fire building at the base of his spine took precedence. Thankfully Blaine didn't seem to mind based on the whimpers and moans leaking in a constant stream from his mouth.

Kurt was slowly becoming aware of the choked off gasps and whimpers coming from in between his own lips though he couldn't bring himself to care how the sounded. He tried to keep his thrusts even, he really did, but it was all too much, Blaine was too much.

"_Fuck _Blaine_.'_M not gonna last." He spoke into Blaine's neck, littering the skin with open mouthed kisses, sucking whenever he passed over a sensitive spot.

"Me neither..._shiit."_ Blaine's hands squeezed his ass harder, pulling him into the cradle his open thighs created with more force and speed each time as one hand slid up a few inches before snaking back down, this time under the waistband of his boxer briefs. Kurt lifted his head when he felt Blaine's hand on his bare skin, squeezing and rubbing in time with his thrusts. The other boy had his head pressed back into the pillow, eyes wide open starting at the ceiling and biting his bottom lip so hard Kurt thought he might actually break the skin.

Blaine's other hand slipped bellow his underwear to grip his other cheek, finger tips grazing along his crack and he was gone. "Fuck, _Blaine."_ He dropped his head back to Blaine's shoulder, biting down as his hips stuttered, cock sliding deliciously against Blaine's, eyes screwed shut as his world turned white. He was vaguely aware of his own muffled cries and pleas mixing with newer louder ones, of Blaine's cock jerking against his slowly softening one while his body shuddered beneath him.

He slowly came back down to earth; rolling to the side to slip off of Blaine and onto his back, arms spread wide either side. Blaine let out a displeased noise and groped with hand along the bed until it located Kurt's and tangled them together as they both panted, trying to get as much oxygen as possible.

"That," Kurt swallowed and tried again, "that was amazing." Blaine made a noise of agreement but Kurt didn't move to face him, there was a high probability that he was in shock. _Can you even go into shock after sex? _His eyes were fixed wide and unbelieving on the ceiling. He'd just had his first orgasm with someone else, at the hands...well hips...of someone else and not just his own right hand. He'd had his first sexual encounter that was welcomed and it was with Blaine. "Pinch me."

"Can't move, pinch you later." Kurt let his head fall to the side to stare at Blaine. He was grinning up at the ceiling like he'd just won the lottery. Blaine turned to smile blindingly at Kurt and the blue-haired boy didn't even consider not returning it; it was a reflex now, Blaine smiles, he smiles back. "Hey, boyfriend." He rolled so that he moulded himself into the curve of Kurt's side, head resting on his chest; hand over where his heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of his chest.

Kurt smiled wider, snaking one arm under Blaine and down to rest over his hip, the other reaching up to link with the hand resting over his rabbit-quick heart. "Hey, boyfriend."

* * *

_Okay so there it was, my first sex scene. Let me know how it was? I honestly have no idea what I'm doing with this kind of thing. Chapter 12 shouldn't be as long of a wait.  
Reviews have the potential to make me work faster...not that I'm fishing for feedback or anything._


	13. Chapter 12

_The flat finally has wifi and as of tomorrow I get back my laptop (as opposed the shoddy old one I'm using while mine's being fixed)  
It's taking me longer to update due to Uni work piling up (I'm a second year now so all my work now counts towards my degree and it's a fuck load more full on) and the fact that the story itself is about to take a turn so I want to spend more time on each chapter to make sure it fits properly.  
Also I slipped and wrote a daddy!klaine drabble on my tumblr (gablaar . tumblr . com) and I'm writing a shotgunning one. Whoops.  
Second attempt at smut and it's much more graphic than the last. Sami needs a medal for sifting through each chapter and reassuring me constantly.  
As always Lego House is all for Hanny._

* * *

Kurt hissed out a breath between his teeth when he woke. The sunlight streaming through his window was weak but still there, _why are the fucking curtains open?_ Rolling onto his stomach to get away from the daylight he had no interest in seeing for the rest of his God damn life, Kurt squeezed his eyes shut and wriggled further into warmth that was previously stretched along his back.

A strong arm groped clumsily at his waist, tugging him closer and lips pressed into the hair just above his ear. "S'op movin'."

"Sorry." Kurt smiled as wide as his hangover would let him, burrowing even further into the duvet and Blaine's side, nose pressed firmly into the highest point of Blaine's bicep.

"Liar…I'm dyin'." His arm tightened around Kurt's waist with a quiet whimper.

"Can you do it quietly?"

Kurt jerked sharply as Blaine's thumb dug into one of his ribs. "Don't be mean or I won't give you your present."

"Can my present be painkillers?" Kurt lifted his head from the mattress and Blaine's arm to stare blearily at his boyfriend, pout firmly in place. Blaine however wasn't looking as his eyes were covered by Kurt's abandoned pillow.

"'M dyin'. Head's gonna explode." The other boy shoved the pillow off of his face in order to roll awkwardly onto Kurt's back, effectively sandwiching the skank in between his body and his bed. And while Kurt would normally have no complaints – _especially after last night_ – this morning it just made him feel even more inclined to vomit.

"Gerroff me or I'll puke and ruin the attraction."

After giving Kurt's torso another poke Blaine rolled off of him thumping onto the floor with a muffled "ow". Kurt didn't even try to smother his giggle despite the glare and embarrassed "Shut it" thrown his way. In fact it was only when a small, soft package wrapped in shiny blue paper with a bow on top hit his head that he managed to stop laughing quietly. "Not sure you deserve that now if you're going to laugh at me."

Kurt sat up; tugging the t-shirt he'd pulled on after getting cleaned up last night back down so that it was no longer twisted up above his midriff. Blaine clambered back onto the bed looking as if he'd just downed several medium drips with all the twitching and near silent stammering he was doing. Kurt couldn't make out what the other boy was saying so he elected to ignore it in favour of tearing into the paper, frowning in confusion when a black velvet cloth bag dropped to his lap.

Blaine had bitten his lip by this point; he could see him twisting his fingers together in a manner that made Kurt want to reach across and still them. Opening the bag he upturned it so that leather wrist cuff, about an inch wide, fell into his palm. It was open, landing so that he could see the inside; engraved with his full name and date of birth. Flicking his eyes up to Blaine (fingers now tapping out a rhythm on the knee against his chest) he turned the cuff over to see the word 'courage' indented into it's surface, almost invisible to someone just glancing over it.

"What? I don't…" Kurt looked up to see Blaine staring at him wide eyed, "It's gorgeous…why courage?"

Blaine's cheeks flooded with colour and he ducked his head under Kurt's gaze. "It's stupid, I had no idea what to get you; I mean you only told me a fortnight ago! And then I was trying to find something good because it's your eighteenth and it's a big deal because you're an adult and you can vote and stuff and I don't know, it seemed like a really good idea at the time. I can get you something –"

Kurt rolled his eyes, grabbed the back of Blaine's neck and tugged him forward for a closed-mouth kiss to shut him up, leaning back after moment to whisper in Blaine's ear, "I love it. I just want to understand the word is all."

"Because you're it – courage. You went through a lot and you're still standing; you didn't have breakdown or do something stupid you kept living. It takes a lot of courage to stay somewhere after something bad happens and I really admire that about you."

"You have no idea do you?" Blue-grey eyes stared into dark whiskey hued ones in disbelief. "Blaine, you are probably one of the bravest people I've ever met. No you are, you could've easily been killed at that fucking dance; your rib could've punctured your lung or that bat could've hit you in the wrong place and you wouldn't be here. You missed so much school that you when you moved to Dalton you were held back and you stayed out and proud. I am not the only one in this room still standing, baby. Besides, I think most of glee club and possibly my parents will argue that my 'drastic and sudden' change of attitude was a breakdown."

Blaine let out a laugh, dropping his head onto Kurt's shoulder as the skank made a sweeping gesture towards himself giggling quietly along with the other boy.

"At least we've already established that my bad-boy image seems to do it for you. _Really_ well if last night goes to show anything." The last part was accompanied with a lewd eyebrow wiggle and Blaine squeezing his side sharply trying to hide the wide smile taking over his face.

Blaine turned his face into Kurt's neck, placing kisses around the scar there making the blue-haired boy shiver slightly. "Mmm, last night was great."

Kurt snorted. "Great? That's all I get – great? Clearly I need to do something different next time. I was totally aiming for mind-blowing."

* * *

"I need you to babysit tonight."

Kurt looked up from his locker to see Puck hovering beside him. "Blaine's round tonight."

"So? Dude please, I really need to get someone to watch Beth."

Slamming the metal door Kurt moved to slouch against it facing his friend. "Why do you need a babysitter? It's your night with her – normally you're all over that shit. Why can't one of her grandmothers do it anyway?"

"Judy's out and ma's got work. Sarah's not old enough to watch my baby and she's at a friends or something. It's Quinn's night off; she'll kill me if I tell her I need her to keep Beth tonight."

Kurt rolled his eyes, smiling when he caught Blaine's shiny head of hair coming towards them. "Look, on any other night I would; I love Beth, you know I do so don't try giving me the kicked puppy eyes 'cause you're shit at them." Puck huffed and abandoned his attempt at a Bambi look just as Blaine reached them, an arm slipping around Kurt's waist as his own wound around the shorter boy's shoulders without looking away from his idiot friend. "Again – why do you even need a babysitter anyway? Quinn'll murder you in your sleep if you're ditching your daughter for a hook up."

Puck groaned, head thumping lightly back against the lockers behind them. "It's not for a fuckin' hook up okay? Blaine, help me out."

Blaine raised his hands in surrender, an adorably confused look on his face as his honey coloured eyes darted between where Kurt and Puck glared at each other. "It's probably safer for me not to get involved."

"I was just telling Puck that you were round tonight so I can't babysit for him even though it's his night with Beth so I don't even understand why I'm needed?"

Puck shifted again, eyes darting around the corridor before landing back on the two boys beside him. "Please?"

"Why can't someone else watch her?"

"Because."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Because isn't an answer that will make me think about saying yes Puckerman."

Blaine's hand squeezed gently at his hip, effectively dragging Kurt's attention away from the mohawked teen as well as Puck's eyes to him. "Puck you know he'll say yes if you tell the real reason."

Huffing with cheeks turning a suspicious flushed colour Puck kicked one foot against the lockers, hand shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket before he blurted out "FINE! You manned up so now I have to."

The skank turned away from glaring incredulously at his boyfriend to blink at the self proclaimed bad-boy. "I…have no idea what that's supposed to mean." Turning to Blaine he added, "Should I be offended?"

"Look, everybody in this place knew you and Blaine were banging or some shit but since you fucking went all 'official' and everything last week I need to step up."

"Again, I'm still not following."

"Look you're always harassing me about Q; especially after we ya know," he lowered his voice and leant closer, "Slept together after we dropped you and gel-head here –"

"Hey!" Blaine pouted, jabbing Kurt with his elbow when he sniggered, ignoring the quiet "ouch" to run a hand quickly over his hair.

"No offence man. Kurt, you keep going on at me to not mess her around or fuck it up so I'm gonna try…to not fuck it up."

When Kurt remained silent Blaine rolled his eyes. "Oh for God's sake, Puck we'll be back at his pretty much straight from school so whenever you want to drop her round will be fine. Bye!" Kurt opened his mouth to protest but Blaine had grabbed his hand and was tugging him towards the nearest exit and in the direction of the bleachers for the only lunch period they had alone.

Kurt fiddled with his tongue bar as he fought back the fond smile, dropping his bag by the sofa and leaning up against the chain-link fence opposite and digging his pack of Marlboro Reds and quickly lighting one up. He waited until Blaine had sat himself on the battered couch before he spoke. "You want to tell me what that was about?"

"It's not like we can do anything anyway; your parents are both going to be home." The shorter boy shrugged, laughing lightly at the put out look on Kurt's face. "Look we get away with having the door closed but you and I both know your dad likes to come up, knock and ask us questions through the door randomly until I go home. If we were at mine it'd be different, but we're not tonight. So suck it up."

"You know if you hadn't just lumped us with a one year old for the night I could suck." He took a long drag on his cigarette, letting it flow from between his lips in a stream of smoke rings. Looking back up he blinked in surprise when he noticed that alongside the usual look of mild distaste Blaine sported when he smoked the other boy was fixated on the area between his slightly visible collarbone and mouth. Clearing his throat he took another drag to mask his chuckle at the jump Blaine gave as his cheeks flooded with pink.

"I thought you hated that I smoke."

"I er…if you know that then why are you still smoking?" The other boy was hedging and damn well knew that Kurt was aware of that based on how he was avoiding the skank's eyes.

"I've cut down; I was nearly ten a day when you started here. I haven't had one in a day and half. That's impressive; it's the closest I've ever got to quitting since I started. You should be proud of me." He stubbed out the filter with the heel of his shoe and flopped down on the sofa, head in Blaine's lap, let out a quiet but pleased noise with Blaine's fingers automatically went to the strands of hair visible from under his beanie.

"I am."

"Huh?"

"Proud of you. You do know I would've never asked you to quit?"

Kurt hummed and nuzzled closer when Blaine made to pull his hand away earning a soft giggle from the junior. "I know, I wouldn't do it if you asked me to…well no; I wouldn't do it if you told me to. Besides, I'm aware that you love it as much as you hate it; bad boy image does it for you remember?" Closing his eyes Kurt smirked at the deer-in-the-headlights look on Blaine's face as he stuttered out denials.

"Urgh, can _not_believe that Puck is the one with a bigger chance of getting some tonight. I had plans Blaine; plans that did not involve my best friends' child!"

Blaine snorted. "Well now they do, we can make plans for another night. And if all goes well and your dad wins the election then you will end up with a free house just as, if not more often than I do!"

"Yeah, but that's not for a few weeks – if he even wins – and I had plans for tonight because my parents may be in but they are not home until well after seven and we could do a lot in four hours." He huffed, hiding his smile as best he could, and closed his eyes as Blaine's fingers continued to work their way through his hair.

"Okay well you try and hide that smile all you want Hummel but I know you. You would have said yes and you know it. Your friends are important to you and so is Beth; I don't care if we trade in our night pretending to watch bad TV while we make out for watching Disney and reading bed-time stories. An evening spent watching Disney is never wasted Kurt, never." He widened his eyes and schooled his features into a lock of mock severity, shaking his head slowly as if he was horrified at the very notion. Which given how much Disney he had on his iPod or seemed to be able to quote, he probably was – not that Kurt could or even would argue; Blaine had seen his DVD collection and most of those films he had before Quinn or Puck started to bring Beth over.

Kurt glared in the direction of the school when the bell rang out across the field before tilting his head back to frown up at Blaine. "What do you have now?"

"Free period. Which, of course, means I'll actually be in the auditorium with everyone else who's supposed to have a free period rehearsing dance moves 'til I can do them in my sleep, you?"

"History…which means I'll be walking you to rehearsal before turning around and doing something that is not history. I'll probably come back out here…Quinn'll skip too so at least I'll have company." He grinned up at Blaine who was trying to look disapproving.

"I'm not going to convince you to go am I?"

"Nope. Turner doesn't give a shit if I show up or not as long as I pass his class. My grade average makes up for my poor attendance apparently." Groaning Kurt forced himself up so Blaine could get up too, grabbed his boyfriend's hand once he had everything and allowed Blaine to lead him back towards the main building.

As they were walking across the football field, Kurt spotted him.

Karofsky was staring at the two of them, glaring at their linked hands. Fighting back a shiver Kurt eyed the football player; he recognised the look they were now getting. Narrowing his eyes Kurt yanked hard to Blaine's hand so that the other boy stumbled into his side, throwing an arm over his shoulders and smacking a kiss to the side of his head.

"What was that for?"

Moving his eyes from Karofsky over to Blaine and shrugged. "I need a reason to do that to my boyfriend?" It worked; Blaine's lit up with his bashful smile. The one that means he bites at the inside of his cheek, keeps his eyes and down and gets a tiny tinge of pink to his cheeks like he doesn't quite know what to say but probably has the urge to jump on some form of furniture.

"C'mon then stud, Berry will be pissed if you're not there to sweep her off her annoying little feet."

* * *

By the time Kurt made it back to the bleachers Quinn was lounging across the couch, looking to be dozing and really, the opportunity was far too good to pass up.

"What the actual fuck Hummel?!" The skank spluttered out kicking her legs to try and throw him off of them, swearing before she gradually sunk back into the cushions scowling at him.

"You did it to me two days ago. And it was worse because I had a very hot boy on top of me and we were getting better acquainted before you decided to see if 'death by bundling' was a real thing."

"I still maintain that I thought you were just having a cuddle party and it looked like a third person would be beneficial."

"Suuuure Q, that's why you dive bombed us while my hand was on Blaine's ass and yelled 'no wanky for you'." Kurt deadpanned, stubbornly not moving from his position over her thighs and instead bring his legs up to sit cross legged on her. To be fair he did make sure to lean heavily on the back of the sofa when he lifted his legs from the floor to keep his weight off of her.

"Yeah but it was really fun for me to do," she jerked her legs again, growling when she failed to dislodge him, "you might not be fat or a bony little shit anymore but get the fuck off of me; this is not comfortable!"

"Really? Pretty sure I've never been more comfy in my whole damn life. Seriously, Quinnie, you should just become a couch or something."

"Fuck you Hummel."

"Baby, I thought we agreed that since we both like boys it wouldn't really work?"

"I hate you."

"You love me."

Quinn managed to free her leg nearest to the sofa edge and kicked him sharply. "There is a fine fucking line between love and loathing."

Kurt snorted, kicking his legs out and moving so Quinn could replace hers from under, to over his lap, feet crossed over the arm of the couch. "So, where is Anderson; isn't he normally attached to you right about now?"

"Har har. He's got some last minute rehearsal. The play's like, what, in less than a week? I think Artie and Berry are going all Dictatorship on everybody by the sound of it." Shrugging Kurt slouched further down onto the sofa, digging his cigs out of his jacket pocket and lighting two, offering one to Quinn. "I'm only still here cause we're going back to mine after this and I picked him up this morning cause his car's a piece of shit. I think he's going to Dalton or some shit tomorrow to see his old friends."

Quinn snorted, "Berry must be losing her shit if she knows he's going to Dalton – wasn't he in their glee club?" A mocking grin spread across her lips as she mimicked Rachel's voice, "he could be a spy!"

Throwing his head back against the sofa back Kurt laughed, smoke billowing out as he cackled. "I'm actually surprised Blaine never got sent to a crack house instead of an audition – maybe she learnt her lesson."

"Shame though, that would've been a funny story to tell the grandkids."

* * *

Kurt and Quinn abandoned the bleachers just after the bell for the end of the day rang in favour of sitting in Kurt's car with his iPod plugged in. Keeping his eyes, firmly hidden behind his Ray Bans, trained on the main entrance to the school he made appropriate humming noises and sounds of agreement while she chatted away.

"And then I'm thinking of having another one of Puck's children!"

"Sounds co – wait, what?" He neck cracked with how quickly he turned around to seen Quinn smirking at him, eyebrows raised.

"You weren't listening to damn thing I said. Don't start denying it Hummel; you nearly told me that intentionally becoming a teenage mother to _two_ babies was a cool idea."

"Shut up."

"Well I'm gonna love ya and leave ya so you can go home and get it on with lover boy." Winking Quinn jumped out of the car, turned and waved to Blaine who was nearing the space and jogged to her own red bug as Blaine took her vacant seat.

"What was that about?"

"I honestly have no idea."

* * *

Kurt's phone lit up with a text from Puck _(I'll bring Beth round at 5. Owe you man)_ as they walked through his front door. "Anyone in?" Waiting for a moment on the off chance a member of his family replied Kurt slammed the door, grabbed a handful of the front of Blaine's sweater and dragged him upstairs to his room.

"We have just under two hours before Puck shows up and we have to be responsible and I believe I mentioned something about sucking." Taking Blaine's slack jawed, glazed over look as a firm yes Kurt yanked the sweater over his head, tugging on the bowtie and button up until his boyfriend got the message and began to undress. Ripping his own t-shirt off Kurt hastily unbuttoned both of their jeans and shoved Blaine backwards onto the bed clambering up until he was straddling the junior.

"Is this – _fuck_ – is this going where I think it's going?" Blaine stammered out between kisses as Kurt's hips began to roll down against his own.

Snaking a hand down to palm over Blaine's rapidly hardening cock before slipping it below his boyfriends boxer briefs Kurt smirked, "Uh-huh. I'm not, _Christ, _not one to go back on my word."

Hands griped at waistbands, pushing and pulling until they were both down to underwear, in pretty much the same position they found themselves in last week and had yet to do again due to school or glee or the play or his fucking parents. As his fingers danced along the thick waistband of Blaine's bright pink boxer briefs it hit him that, yes he would actually be seeing his boyfriend naked. He would be getting up close and personal with Blaine's dick.

"Is this okay?" _please tell me it's okay. _

Blaine arched up under him, hands sliding down to Kurt's own boxer-briefs, snapping the elastic and shoving them down below his ass before breathing out, "is that seriously a question?"

Smothering an almost hysterical giggle against Blaine's shoulder Kurt lifted his hips so that Blaine could pull them the rest of the way down, biting his lip when it caught on his cock, before he lifted himself onto his knees to work Blaine's underwear down his legs and throwing them somewhere in his room before turning back to Blaine.

How the hell Kurt had managed to land such a beautiful human being as Blaine he'd probably never figure out. The other boy was spread out below him, chest heaving and eyes wide and staring at Kurt like he was from another world. It was ridiculously hard to keep his eyes above Blaine's hips and his own from re-enacting his birthday. His breath hissed out from between his teeth as he bent back down to capture Blaine's lips in a deep kiss, tongue sweeping over the seem of Blaine's mouth until it opened for him.

Kurt's hips fell down to meet Blaine's, stuttering as his cock lined up with his boyfriend's. Letting out a whimper as his brain short circuited over how fucking _good_ it felt to do this without jeans or just their underpants. Blaine seemed to agree judging by the sounds emanating from the younger boy.

"Kurt…_hmmng_…Kurt, please."

"Please what?" Smirking against Blaine's lips as he sucked playfully on his tongue and nibbled at his bottom lip Kurt let his hands finally wander below the invisible line of Blaine's hips to grasp a perfect ass cheek in one hand and stroking his dick with the other.

Blaine groaned and tore his mouth away from Kurt's. "C'mon…_stop fucking teasing and suck my damn cock!"_

A wolfish grin spread across Kurt's face as he pulled far enough away from Blaine's body to focus, letting his lips trail slowly over his jaw towards his ear to breathe "since you asked nicely." Biting lightly at Blaine's earlobe, tugging slightly as the other boy whimpered. Moving slowly Kurt worked his way down Blaine's body, stopping to suck kisses into places and biting at others until he reach his navel where he dipped his tongue into Blaine's belly button.

Blocking out every part of his brain that was beginning to freak out _(shit, fuck that's Blaine's dick, Blaine's dick is against my throat and in a minute it's going to be IN my throat. Please don't choke, please don't choke…)_ in order to focus on the noises his boyfriend was making and the jerky movements of his gorgeous body Kurt crawled backwards slightly to lick against the grain of Blaine's happy trail. Mouthing around the base of his cock Kurt had to hold back the inappropriate snort that was begging to escape because _that's why it's called a happy trail_.

"Oh God."

Looking up Kurt smiled widely, teeth on show and eyes locked on Blaine. "Not God, just me." He whispered with a wink before sinking his mouth down onto Blaine; hands flying up to Blaine's hips to hold them to the mattress as they jerked forward.

He didn't take him too far down to start with; keeping his attention on the head, tongue twirling around to flick at the underside along a prominent vein and up to swipe over the tip, clearing up any precome and swallowing with a muffled moan. Okay, now he knew why people did this. Though why a majority of the girls he knew (or used to know) always complained about giving head he doubts he'll ever find out because this, the way Blaine was writhing around, crying out and gasping, _this_ was amazing. He was doing this, _he_ was the reason Blaine was currently falling apart and damn if that didn't make him feel powerful, _wanted._

He was already aware of how much Blaine appreciate (maybe that was the wrong word but it was all he could think of) his tongue bar based on the little gasps he always released whenever Kurt ran the tiny metal ball over one of his body parts. But the automatic jerk and strangled moan alerted him to the fact that clearly, having a tongue bar on your dick felt pretty fucking great. Smirking as best he could around Blaine's girth Kurt flicked the titanium ball against the ridge just below the head, pleased at the _"Holy fuck!" _that escaped his boyfriends usually profanity free mouth.

Opening his throat as best he could and relaxing his jaw Kurt lowered his head further before sucking on the way back up, cheeks hollowed out and tongue firmly pressed into that vein that made Blaine tense and twitch every time he grazed over it. When he reached the tip he pulled off to lick over the head to gather up more of the precome leaking from it before ducking his head to mouth along the sides, licking and sucking firmly at the part he'd yet to fit in his mouth.

Blaine gripped the sheets with one hand, the other flying to tangle in Kurt's hair as he let out a near constant stream of cries, pleas and moans. Kurt wasn't even sure if Blaine knew what sounds he was making at this point based on how his eyes kept rolling back into his head and his hips were jumping up towards Kurt's mouth despite being held down.

"Oh God, oh God _Kurt_, don't stop. Don't ever, _ahhh, _stop!"

Deciding to take pity on his boyfriend Kurt took another deep breath before dropping back down, doubling his efforts and wrapping his hand around what he couldn't reach with his mouth; keeping it in time with the bobbing of his head until Blaine's hand in his hair tightened, pulling at it sharply.

"Ku-Kurt, I – I'm gonna…_shit!" _

Kurt pulled off quickly, not entirely sure he wanted to swallow, and surged back up to Blaine's mouth while his hand worked quickly to bring Blaine over the edge. He kept his eyes open and on the other boy's face, determined not to miss a second of Blaine's orgasm – it was quickly becoming one of his favourite sights. Blaine's neck and jaw tensed, head thrown back into the pillow as his body rolled with waves of pleasure as he spilled over his stomach and Kurt's hand with eyes wide open but rolling to the back of his skull before he turned boneless, sinking into the bed, twitching and gasping for breath.

Blaine's eyes blinked rapidly, chest heaving and limbs still twitching with after shocks, while Kurt stared down at him. Turning to glance down at where his hand was releasing Blaine's now soft and spent cock he moved his fingers towards his mouth, poking his tongue out to lick curiously at the come streaked across his knuckles. _Not bad, Mack was clearly over-exaggerating. _

A wanton and horse _"Fuck"_ brought his attention back down to his boyfriend, index finger part way in his mouth as he practically savoured the taste.

Blaine himself seemed to be speechless for a moment before he surged up, flipped them over and deftly reached down to grasp Kurt's own dick firmly in his hand.

"_Shit,_ oh fuck Blaine…not gonna – I'm al-already so _close_." His hand came up to grip the forearm next to his head that Blaine was braced against, squeezing sharply every time Blaine squeezed just a little tighter, stroked just a little harder or twisted his wrist _just so._"L-lube!"

"Huh?" To his credit and much to Kurt's delight Blaine didn't stop the movement, that fucking amazing rhythm he'd created with his fist.

"Top…top drawer. Lube. Get it." He did and oh God was it that much hotter when Blaine's hand returned to his cock now coated in the beautifully slick substance. "F-fuck, 'm gonna. _Blaine."_ With one last twist of Blaine's wrist and a sloppy kiss planted just bellow his collar bone Kurt fell over the edge. Fire raced from the base of his spine outwards before crashing back into him as stars burst behind his slammed shut eyelids.

Panting, he relaxed back into his comforter; shakily using the hand not still partially covered in another's bodily fluid to push his damp hair back from his face and blinked owlishly up at Blaine's smiling face.

Reaching one hand up to rest on the back of Blaine's still slightly flushed neck Kurt tugged him down for a comparatively chaste kiss. "So much better with no clothes on."

Laughing quietly Blaine ducked back down to rest his head on Kurt's shoulder, forehead pressed against his sweat-damp neck. "It really is. We should just, like, live our lives naked."

"I think we'd get a bit cold…also people might not appreciate us strolling 'round in the buff all day." Though, the idea does have merit but only if he's the one who gets to see Blaine in all his glory. He may be a tad possessive of his boyfriend, but he figures Blaine doesn't seem to mind yet if he goes off how the other had reacted in Columbus. "As much as staying naked with you sounds lovely, we should get up and showered before Beth is dropped off."

Grumbling Blaine allowed Kurt to manoeuvre himself out from underneath him and drag him into a sitting position. "C'mon, we can conserve water and all that jazz."

* * *

The shower took longer than it probably should have due to Blaine dropping to knees half way through and quite literally blowing Kurt's mind so that by the time Puck was knocking on his front door Blaine was still only half dressed in a pair of Kurt's oldest jeans (that were still an inch too long) and Kurt himself had to abandon towel drying his hair to get it.

Puck smirked when he opened the door. Beth in his arms, leaning against his shoulder sleepily and a bright pink Dora The Explorer rucksack over one shoulder and her teddy and coat in his free hand. "I would so bro-fist you if my hands weren't full."

Rolling his eyes Kurt stepped aside to let them in, following his friend into the living room where he set Beth down on the sofa with her things next to her. Puck whipped around to face him once Kurt had turned the TV on and he'd made sure his daughter was occupied. "You had sex. You sly bastard; you used that free time to bone your boy!"

"Nice."

"Tell me it's not true."

Biting back a smirk Kurt parroted him, "It's not true," just as Blaine came bounding down the stairs, hair now gelled back into place and bright smile on his face. Beth tore her sleepy gaze away from the TV to look over the back of the couch, waving at him excitedly, mumbling something in gibberish at him until he sat down next to her.

"Okay, she's just woke up from a nap so she'll probably end up demanding to be fed in a few hours and depending on how tonight goes she's got overnight stuff in her bag if that's okay?" At this Puck broke out his still shit puppy dog eyes and turned them on Kurt.

"Fine. She can sleep over; not like she doesn't spend one night a week here anyway. Your starving puppy look needs more work though man." Beth seemed to realise they were talking about her and pulled herself up with the back of the couch to stand up against it. Blaine moved slightly to help hold her up, grinning up at Kurt when a pudgy shot down to hold onto the arm he'd wrapped around her tummy.

"Okay, go or you'll never leave and this whole thing will be for nothing. Beth, say bye-bye to daddy!"

"Dah-dah!"

Puck leant down to place a kiss to her nose. "Wish me luck Trouble." He fist bumped both boys on his way out, flipping Kurt off when he yelled "hope you don't screw it up!"

After closing the door behind his friend, laughing to himself over how clearly nervous Puck was (they'd already slept together multiple times and had a kid for fucks sake; how hard could it be?) he returned to the living room to see Beth sat on Blaine's lap while they had a seemingly very important chat about Dora with Blaine mainly saying "Really?" and Beth nodding as sagely as an nineteen month old could. Smothering his laugh Kurt moved Beth's things to the floor, flopped down beside them and allowed himself to be pulled into the debate.

* * *

When his parents returned home later that evening they'd spread out over the living room floor with papers and crayons surrounding them, Blaine laying on his stomach and Beth sitting in between Kurt's legs as Beth and Blaine coloured. Kurt shook his head at his step-mother as if to say 'I've ended up with two children tonight'.

"I haven't done anything for dinner yet but Beth'll be hungry soon."

"That's fine sweetie, your father and I were thinking of ordering pizza, we can always put on some extra veggies for Beth." Carole smiled down at them as Burt walked into sit on the sofa and reached for the TV remote.

"Am I allowed to watch the game or is one of her kid's shows going to be on?" Burt gestured with the TV remote, a hopeful look on his face but Kurt knew his dad had yet to ever say no to something Beth liked to watch; he even sat watching them with her for hours end.

"Nah you're good; we'll clear out of the way and go upstairs or something. Can you order me a half plain cheese and half Cajun chicken and peppers?"

"Sure; Blaine what about you?"

Blaine looked up wide-eyed from where he was packing away Beth's crayons into her toy chest. Kurt was pretty sure his boyfriend still wasn't used to how his parents treated him; never minding if he was there for dinner and now letting him sleep over as long they didn't hear anything. Though even Kurt had been shocked at that development last week when his dad had mentioned it to him after his birthday lunch.

"_How was Blaine's?" _

"_I – uh, what?"_

"Blaine's, I wasn't born yesterday kid. I know you spent the night with him. Have fun?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say that Dad."

"_Look kiddo, you're an adult now. You and Blaine are gonna want to spend time together and as long as you don't do anything me and Carole can find out about I don't mind. I mean if this was last year or something it'd be different but you're leaving this summer and Blaine already seems to spend half his time here." _

"Umm, pepperoni please, sir."

Burt rolled his eyes along with Kurt, clearly a habit he'd inherited from his dad. "Told ya before Blaine, it's Burt, the boy's friends all call me Burt - makes sense Kurt's boyfriend does the same." Waving them away he turned on the TV and reached for the phone to order. A shout of "Carole, what pizza do you want?" and one of "For goodness sake Burt, you don't need to shout I'm right here!" followed them up the stairs as Kurt carried the chest and Blaine cautiously held Beth.

When they made it to his bedroom Kurt held the door open, laughing quietly as Blaine hurriedly placed the baby onto his bed. "You do know you wouldn't have dropped her right? And even you did both Puck and Brittany have, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just don't mention it to Quinn."

"It wasn't that I thought I would drop her; I've never held a baby before, let alone your best friend's baby."

"Aww, Beth you made Blaine panic!" Giggling Kurt threw himself onto the bed face down making the baby squeal as she bounced slightly, reached down to grab the TV remote from the floor to channel flick until he landed on Mulan causing Beth to slap his hand repeatedly until he turned it back for her to watch. Propping himself up on his forearms he smirked over at where Blaine was leaning against his shut bedroom door.

"I wasn't panicking!"

"You so were, baby."

Blaine moved to sit beside him, smiling brightly when Beth wiggled backwards to lean against his legs, before he shoved Kurt sharply causing him to slip from his elbows. "Well that was just uncalled for; violence is never the answer Blaine."

* * *

_Reviews are better than cookies. _


	14. Chapter 13

It's been far too long for an update from me. All I'll say it that I'm sorry it took me a while but there's been a few too many family issues that have cropped up and I'm in the middle of uni deadlines (still) so that didn't help.

BUT - seein as we all survived the apocalypse yesterday here is chapter 13 (14 half written already and to be up after christmas) along with a **painting of kurt's sleeve on my tumblr**. (same name there as here)

Also, I got more fanart for this too by atthefootofthishill on tumblr (I'll be proposing to very soon) and Sami is the worlds best betta with all the cheerleading she does for me3

**happy christmas everyone X**

* * *

West Side story was opening in less than two days and Blaine was shitting himself. Kurt could tell he was trying to hide it, he had his prep-school mask in place; the one Kurt was beginning to notice he wore when he felt vulnerable or nervous.

"What if I forget my lines?"

Rolling over so his head was no longer hanging upside down off the edge of Blaine's bed, Kurt raised both eyebrows at the other boy. "Really? I've had to listen to you run lines out loud non-stop for the last six days sweetie. I'm pretty sure you're safe."

Blaine lifted one hand to the back of his neck as he finally stopped pacing and turned to face Kurt. "I just...never mind."

Frowning Kurt moved to sit up, crossed his legs and reached out to tug the other boy down beside him, pushing and pulling until Blaine allowed the skank to manhandle him into a position mirroring his own. Keeping a tight hold on Blaine's wrists with one hand he moved the other one to raise his chin, ducking down to meet Blaine's eyes. "What's really going on Blaine? I get nerves, but before last week you were fine."

"My, er, my parent's are going to be home. As in, actually home and not fucking off to Columbus or Cincinnati. Dad won't come but mum said," He took a deep breath, moving his hands away from Kurt's grip to fiddle with a rolled cuff of one leg on his bright red jeans, "she told me she might 'check up on everything' and to try not to embarrass her."

Frowning Kurt kept quiet, choosing instead to tangle his fingers around Blaine's hand that was still pulling at the cuff of his jeans. "I...I just, I wish I knew what they were thinking sometimes. Even if it's bad and it makes me hate them, because I think I'd rather that than never knowing where the hell I stand with my own fucking parents."

"Baby," Moving so he was sat behind Blaine, Kurt wrapped his arms around the other boy's waist, bracketed his hips with thighs and pressed a dry kiss to the side of his boyfriend's neck.

"You and your dad don't always see eye to eye on a lot of things, but he's there for you no questions asked whenever you need him right?" He didn't wait for the skank to answer, ploughing ahead now that he seemed to have opened the gates to whatever he'd been bottling up. All Kurt could think to do was to hold on and be there to pick up what was left of him at the end. "She acted like she'd never heard of you when I mentioned that my boyfriend would be watching. Like I don't mention you every time they're actually home and like I don't see them tense up and brush it off as if they never heard anything. All they wanted to know was when I planned on stopping 'all that faggy nonsense'."

Kurt felt his body tense up at that word, since the end of September when they'd become friends and after they'd gotten together he'd only ever seen Blaine's parent's briefly but even from that first meeting at the start of last month he'd decided he really disliked the Andersons. How they didn't notice just how wonderful their son was Kurt would probably never be able to understand; Blaine was smart, funny, polite and stupidly kind to everyone he met even if they didn't deserve it.

"They're my parents, they're supposed to love me no matter what; they're not supposed to treat me like I'm suddenly invisible just because I don't like girls." Taking a shaky breath all the tension seemed to seep out of Blaine's muscles, almost as if the fight had gone out of him, and he slumped back into Kurt's chest, hands coming down to rest over where Kurt's arms were folded over his stomach.

Squeezing slightly Kurt placed another kiss to where Blaine's jaw met neck, smiling over the feel of barely-there stubble catching on his lips. He wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do, because while he and his dad had had their fare share of issues he's aware that Burt Hummel is actually a fucking awesome dad. School has always been hell, but at home he's free to be who he wants and he's had that proved over and over since coming out in sophomore year. Blaine didn't get that and Kurt honestly had no idea if anything he said would make it better or worse simply because he didn't understand.

"What do you need?"

"I don't know."

Biting his lip Kurt hooked his chin over Blaine's shoulder, rubbing his hands along Blaine's forearms as he thought. "When was the last time you saw your old friends at Dalton?"

"How's that going to help?" The frown on Blaine's face was adorable, eyebrows pulled in and nose wrinkled in confusion.

Chuckling lightly Kurt moved his hands from the other boy's arms to squeeze his hips. "The play opens tomorrow night. You texted a few of them to tell them you were in the play right?" At Blaine's slow nod Kurt grinned, "Sweetie, call them and ask if they want to come and see it. You're _Tony_ for Christ's sake, you got the lead and you're only a junior; they'll want to be there." Blaine opened his mouth to argue, "at least this way you'll have a few seats filled with people from your old life who are there to cheer you on." He would do anything to see this boy smile (even if he had to risk seeing that fucking meerkat).

Kurt loosened his arms slightly when he felt Blaine shift to turn around, wrapping them back around him once the shorter boy was facing him with his legs over Kurt's and crossed at the ankles behind his back. "You deserve to have people who love you for _you_ sitting in that audience speechless because of how good you are." The phrasing of his sentence slowly dawned on him as Blaine mulled it over silently; he hadn't made any kind of reaction to show he'd realised what Kurt had said, but just because Blaine hadn't, didn't mean it was lost on him. Because _shit, that's what this is, isn't it? I've gone and fallen in love with him._

A shy smile was tugging at the corners of Blaine's mouth now and he brought his arms up to wrap around the back of Kurt's neck, fingers scratching lightly at the soft hair there. "You say that like you already know how good I am."

Clearing his throat slightly and averting his eyes Kurt shrugged. "I may have snuck in to one of your dress rehearsals the other day." Turning to look back at his boyfriend Kurt's heart ached at the look of awe on his face. Blaine had people telling him how good he was all the time in glee club but the way he was staring at Kurt, all wide-eyed and earnest, made it seem like this was the first time it had meant anything.

"You think I'm good?"

"No," ducking forward Kurt captured Blaine's mouth with his own before the smile could slip from his face, one hand slid up Blaine's back to cup the side of his jaw, angling him _just so_ to get that perfect angle where Kurt could nibble and suck on his bottom lip slowly before pulling back. "I think you're amazing."

* * *

Kurt was at school the next morning before Blaine, two coffees in hand and leaning casually against his boyfriend's locker. Normally he'd arrive several minutes before the last bell would ring for Homeroom - if he decided to come in for it, which lately he had if only for the 'good morning' pecks beside lockers while no one was looking too hard - so he hoped the junior would appreciate the rare (read: never happened before) event.

Judging by the wide disbelieving smile that spread across the other boy's face once he'd reached him and looked up from rooting around inside his bag it was one of Kurt's better ideas. _Fuck,_ he really should make more of an effort to be a better boyfriend when they weren't alone; that smile was one Kurt definitely wanted to see again and again. Especially after his little 'epiphany', as he was calling it, from last night.

"Kurt? What time did you get here?"

_Fifteen minutes ago. _"Only a few minutes before you, I woke up early and got us coffee. Medium drip with cinnamon." _Bravo Kurt, say you want to be a better boyfriend and then brush off a nice gesture that you actually planned out. _

Blaine's smile, if it was even possible, grew brighter as he took the coffee, leant in to give Kurt a lightning-quick kiss on the corner of his mouth before taking a gulp of the coffee and sighing. "Well, it was a nice surprise and you know I'll never turn down more coffee." The look he was levelling Kurt with showed that, despite his words, Blaine was well aware that Kurt had planned this. _"Thank you."_

"Anytime."

Most of Kurt's classes that he would consider going to were in the periods after lunch so after walking Blaine to his P.E class Kurt turned back around to head towards his art class. The classroom was empty just like he'd hoped and his teacher just waved him in when he knocked on the door. Dumping his bag on one of the desks he kicked his DM clad feet up onto the desk, texting Quinn to meet him there if she was skiving because it was getting too fucking cold to sit under the bleachers lately and now they weren't smoking it had even less appeal.

He was doodling in the sketch book he'd taken to carrying around with him lately when Quinn announced her presence. He'd been so into the drawing of Blaine that he hadn't noticed her sitting beside him. Thankfully she waited until his pencil was off of the page to talk.

"I didn't know you could draw like that."

Startled, Kurt dropped the pencil and turned to glare at his best friend, instead of finding her manically smiling over the fact that she'd gotten Kurt to jump he found her green eyes glued to the page in front of them. "Kurt...this is _beautiful_." She reached out, a finger hovering over the cartridge paper; as if it would turn to ash if her skin came into contact with it.

"Umm, thanks," shifting in his seat Kurt blinked down at the drawing that held so much of her attention. He wasn't quite comfortable with people seeing his art, Quinn knew he was good (they had art class together after all) but even his teacher had barely seen any of his pieces that he did outside of the ones he handed in.

Quinn looked up, brows knitted in confusion, "Why didn't I know you could do things like this?"

"I don't know...no one does really." At Quinn disbelieving snort he rolled his eyes, "It's not a big deal Q, I draw sometimes, you knew I did!"

"Yeah, as in for class and you didn't suck and were _good_, but Kurt, this isn't 'good' this is on a whole other level of brilliant." Her fingers finally fall to the page, stoking methodically along the edge, "do you mind if I look at some of them?"

Kurt honestly thought that if he so much as looked as if he'd say no she might cry, or hit him, so he bit his lip and nodded, watching attentively as she flipped the thick book over to the front. She all but cradled the book, turning pages with care he'd only ever seen her show with Beth (or him when he was in a particularly bad place), her face was expressionless, showing no hints at her thoughts. Biting absent-mindedly on his right thumb nail Kurt kept his eyes locked on her, on her hand turning pages, on her face if she lingered over a particular sketch.

It wasn't until she got to one of her and Beth, curled around each other and asleep above the covers on his bed that she gave any sign of emotion. Her eyes welled up a fraction, one hand coming to cover her mouth as the hand turning pages halted, hovered over the black-and-white depiction of her daughter before tracing feather light over the paper.

"Kurt...this looks like a photograph."

"Okay, no it doesn't; you can see the pencil marks!"

"That's not the point dumbass."

Huffing Kurt crossed his arms, almost self-consciously, as Quinn continued to flick pages until she reach the unfinished one of Blaine, right near the back of the book.

Handing it back to him, gripping his wrist when he pulled back, "You should do this. When we graduate you should go to art school."

Shrugging, Kurt looked back down to the page. "I haven't really thought about college to be honest."

"Liar." Quinn smiled softly, nudging him before resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping an arm around his waist. "Last year - "

"Last year was different Quinn and you know it." The bell rang shrilly outside, students gradually began to fill the halls all rushing towards the cafeteria for what the school proclaimed to be lunch. Sighing Kurt began to gather his things, shoving them all into his bag, only taking care with his sketch book before he stood and offered a hand to Quinn.

Quinn wrapped her arms around his left, hugging herself to his side as they headed in the opposite direction of the masses towards the gym to the, normally and hopefully still, empty, much warmer bleachers. They stopped at Q's locker, Kurt idly leaning against the metal doors as he let his eyes drift over the other students, grinning to himself every time one of them caught his eye only to hastily look away.

Pulling out his phone while Quinn did her usual 'check on Beth' phone call he dropped a quick text to Blaine to let him know where he'd be if the other boy wanted to join them - he probably wouldn't, choosing to sit with the glee club today as they no doubt rambled on about the play. He'd just set the message and decided to try and finish his current level on Angry Birds when he felt it, that prickly someone-is-watching-me-and-not-in-a-good-way feeling that drips down the back of the neck to the bottom of the spine. Jerking his eyes away from the screen Kurt's head snapped up to his left, at the end of the hall Karofsky stood just off the side of the trophy cases, staring at the other senior.

Despite the shiver that fought to make itself known Kurt stood tall, squaring his shoulders and tensing his jaw, like he was daring the jock to make a move. He could vaguely hear Quinn on the phone with Puck's mom asking to talk to her baby but it was like he was under water for all the sense it made - his attention solely fixed on Karofsky.

The two boys stared at each other for a moment longer before the jock abruptly turned and stalked off somewhere. Letting out the breath he didn't even know he was holding Kurt leant heavily on the metal behind him, sagging into the doors and ignoring the uncomfortable pokes his back got from the locks. What the hell had just happened? Nothing like that had occurred for months! Especially not since his 'little transformation' at the end of last year. What the fuck was Karofsky playing at?

He was staring blankly at the floor in front of his feet when Quinn hung up, jumping a little at her hand falling to his arm and squeezing gently above his elbow. "Kurt...are you okay?"

Shaking his head as if to dislodge water from his ears Kurt plastered on a smile to hide how shaken he was, _(it was only a fucking look Hummel, man the fuck up and ignore it)_ "Just dozed of for a bit what with you babbling on over there." Winking he threw an arm over her shoulders and lead her towards the gym.

"Har-fucking-har Hummel. Why am I friends with you again?"

"Because I provide our group with comic relief and eye-candy."

Pushing all thoughts of his old bully out his mind Kurt cackled and dodged the elbow thrown at his ribs.

* * *

Blaine did end up joining them for the last ten minutes, throwing himself down dramatically on the bench bellow them face-down, buried his face in his arms and groaned. "I'm gonna kill Rachel."

"Get in line, Bowtie." Quinn moved her feet from under his calves to cross them at the ankles on his ass. "I'm pretty sure there's a multitude of people with that girl's name on their hit-lists."

"Make her take her feet off of my ass Kurt, it already aches." He tilted his head to the side to pout at the skank.

Quinn cackled, clapping her hands, "Kinky."

"Fuck off. Rachel got a little too enthusiastic in booty camp and evidently I was in her way and I fell and landed on my ass and now it hurts!"

"Kurt'll kiss it better for you if you ask nicely." Winking the pink haired girl hoped up, waving brightly and giggling as Kurt flipped her off.

"She makes me glad I've never even considered being attracted to women. I'd end up with a crazy-ass-bitch like her." Turning to look down at the slightly pitiful sight of his boyfriend Kurt grinned. "She's not wrong though."

Blaine rolled his eyes, "maybe later."

* * *

Kurt fussed with the collar of his shirt, tugging at the hem and ruffling his hair as he frowned at the reflection in the full length mirror on the door of his closet. He had to leave to pick Blaine up in the next fifteen minutes and he was panicking over how he looked like he was sixteen years old again and crushing on unattainable members of the football team.

"This is fucking ridiculous." Shaking his head Kurt gave his outfit a last critical once-over, chewing his bottom lip as he pulled a face at the ripped dark grey skinny jeans, battered studded combat boots and plain black shirt. He rolled the sleeves back down and buttoned the cuffs as well as doing up the last three buttons, before undoing them again to leave the collar open.

Sighing he grabbed a black beanie, shoved it on along with a zip-up hoodie under his leather jacket and checking that he had his wallet, keys and phone before heading out of his room. Stopping at the door he backtracked quickly, checked the hat didn't hide too much of his colourful hair and re-did the buttons back up to the hollow of his throat bolting through the empty house to his car before he could second (or in this case sixth) guess himself.

The whole drive to Blaine's he fidgeted, _Christ anyone would think you were in the fucking play, not your boyfriend,_ clenching his fists around the steering wheel Kurt forced himself to take a deep breath. Blaine was nervous enough; he didn't need Kurt adding to that so he'd just have to pull on the acting skills he did have and hide it until later.

Pulling into his boyfriend's driveway Kurt frowned at the lack of cars other than Blaine's mom's old station wagon that now belonged to her son. Checking over the bouquet of red and yellow roses sat in the passenger seat, Kurt glared at himself in the rear-view mirror, "Don't be a pussy", squared his shoulders and climbed out of the car, jogged up to the porch and knocked quickly with one hand and shoved the roses behind his back with the other.

Blaine had clearly been in the middle of getting ready based on the hasty manner in which the door was opened and Kurt himself was yanked through the entrance by a hand fisted in his shirt.

"Happy to see mmhh," He was cut off half way through the teasing comment by Blaine using the hand still tangled in his clothes to tug him forward, shaping his lips around Kurt's. Deciding not to question the odd occurrence of Blaine kissing him somewhere his parents had the ability to walk in on Kurt let his hands drift; one to the back of Blaine's still un-gelled hair, the other to the small of his back to press his body closer. A small smile quirked his lip as Kurt tilted his head slightly to gain better access to Blaine's mouth, widening at the tiny barely-there moan the other boy released.

Eventually they separated with a small smacking sound, staying close enough that Kurt swore he could feel Blaine's heartbeat against his chest, foreheads resting against each other.

"Hi," Blaine whispered.

"Hey," glancing down Kurt swore, ducking out of a baffled Blaine's arms before re-positioning himself, this time with the flowers previously dropped on the hard-wood floor presented in front of him. "Umm, these are for you..." his eyes darted down to the bouquet, scrutinising them for any imperfections, _"fuck,_I'm really sorry if they're a bit battered I just wanted to get you something for tonight, 'cause, like, I know you're shittin' yourself a bit and you really don't need too and I figured that flowers would be a nice 'break-a-leg' gesture, but if you hate - "

A hand covered his mouth to cut him off. "Kurt, baby, breathe. I love them." Grinning that perfect ten-thousand-watt smile Blaine took the roses and brought them to his nose to inhale deeply; looking up at Kurt through his lashes and _fucking hell_ if that didn't make his knees a little bit weak. "C'mon, I'll put these in some water and finish getting ready so we can go," the hand covering his mouth moved down over his neck, shoulder, bicep before it reached his hand, weaving their fingers together and tugging Kurt upstairs and into his bedroom, roses firmly under his nose the entire time.

* * *

When they reached McKinley Kurt lead Blaine by the hand towards the Choir room through the empty halls, refusing to answer any of Blaine's "Why are we here so early?", "Kuuuurt, c'mon what's going on?" despite the whiney edge they were taking on; Blaine really did hate not knowing.

"Just...you'll see in a minute." The room was empty just as he'd asked (God, he so owed Puck for this...maybe he'd get him a new Xbox game). Opening the door he directed his boyfriend through, acting as if he didn't hear the "Okay, seriously, Kurt you never come in this room - what the hell is happening?" and pushing his boyfriend to sit down in the front row, coming to stand a feet just in front of him.

"Okay, umm," shakily, Kurt took a deep breath, one hand shoved deep into a jean pocket while the other rubbed self-consciously at the back of his head, "you know how the other week at mine we were watching _Chicago_ and you said you'd never really heard me sing, because singing along in a club doesn't count?" Blaine nodded, looking a tiny bit confused still so Kurt ploughed on.

"Okay, so it's probably easier to just get on with it." Clearing his throat loudly Kurt moved grab two stools standing inconspicuously by the piano as Puck walked through the door, two acoustic guitars in his hands, grinning like a mad-man and practically bouncing one he took a seat next to Kurt, handing him one of the guitar's.

"I didn't know you played..."

Looking up at his boyfriend Kurt blushed a pale pink, "I don't really...Puck started to teach me last year...I only know a few songs but I err, I was listening to this the other day and I just...listen carefully yeah?"

At Blaine's nod Kurt counted them in, fingers picking the strings lightly, _"I'm gonna pick up the pieces, and build a Lego house..." _ To start with he kept his eyes down, focussing on the frets and keeping in time with Puck, overlaying the sounds of both instruments as he sung, _"my three words have two meanings, but there's one thing on my mind. It's all for you, mmm." _Once he felt confident that his fingers could keep playing without messing up if his eyes weren't glued to them he looked up. Eyes locked onto the wide whiskey hued ones of his boyfriend, who sat staring slack jawed as he serenaded him. Preening a little bit at the good reaction Kurt threw himself into it, but this wasn't like being in glee and performing, there were no costumes, no flashy show tunes...just him, like an open book just for Blaine.

_"I'm out of touch, I'm out of love, I'll pick you up when you're getting down. And out of these things I've done, I think I love you better now. I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind, I'll do it all for you in time. And out of all these things I've done, I think love you better now."_

Smiling a little bit now as he got more into it, Kurt flicked his eyes back to check what his fingers were doing before glancing up at his boyfriend from under his eyes lashes, his smile automatically widened, mirroring the slow-spreading one taking over Blaine's face. _"And it's dark in the cold December, but I've got you to keep me warm."_

Gradually the boys slowed the music until it was just Kurt singing. While the other two boys' attention stayed glued to each other, Puck moved quietly to grab both guitars and duck out of the room, manic smile now toned down into an almost teary one, much like the one he wore whenever Beth did something that made him proud.

Kurt stayed seated, vaguely aware of the guitar being removed from his hands as his friend left, not willing to take his eyes off of Blaine for a second as he watching a now standing Blaine move slowly towards him until the junior was stood between his thighs.

_"I'm out of touch, I'm out of love, I'll pick you when you're getting down. And out of all these things I've done. I will love you better now."_

Blaine barely waited for him to finish before he was framing his face and moving to slam their mouth together, nibbling lightly on his top lip before he moved to suck the bottom one in between his own, tongue running along it before dipping inside to lick over the back of Kurt's teeth. As much as Kurt would have liked to keep kissing, they did eventually have to pull back slightly for air, thought Blaine did wrap his arms firmly around Kurt's shoulders and move to mouth along his jaw and neck, teeth grazing over now-well-known sensitive spots as Kurt attempted to string words together.

"So umm, _mmm,_that-that was a - was a good i-idea?"

"A very, very good idea," was breathed into his ear before the lobe was pulled between Blaine's teeth as he playfully bit down. "God Kurt - that was...that was the most amazing, _romantic,_ things anyone has ever done for me." He pulled back, hands still cupping either side of Kurt's jaw, one thumb running over his ever so slightly swollen lips. Up this close Kurt could see the forest-green swirls of colour in Blaine's eyes as they searched his face. "You're amazing."

"I think I would do anything for you."

Blaine smiled, "like taking a punch to the face for me?"

Chuckling quietly Kurt nodded, thinking back to that day after their first kiss, "Yeah, like that." Moving his hands from where they'd fallen to Blaine's hips during their kiss, Kurt surrounded the other boy's hands within his own. "You are slowly becoming one of the most important people in my life, Blaine Anderson, and I have never been more thankful that I decided to be nosy and spy on you and Karofsky...or that you somehow put up with me and my crap."

Leaning forward he placed a soft, closed-mouth kiss to Blaine's smile, pulling back barely an inch to whisper; "I love you." Not daring to smile as he watched Blaine blink in shock, eyes wide as they locked onto his.

He was vaguely aware of holding his breath, waiting for the fallout as Blaine's lip quirked the tiniest bit.

"I love you, too."

After Puck walked in on them making out in the choir room to remind them that Blaine need to get to auditorium to get ready they reluctantly left. At the side door to the auditorium Kurt kissed the other boy, hands cradling the sides of his jaw as if he were scared that too much would break him.

Blaine rolled his eyes, pulling him in for a deeper kiss before playfully pushing him away to head backstage as Kurt called out after him. "Break a leg."

Still grinning to himself, Kurt shoved his hands deep into his jean pockets and headed around to the main entrance to wait for Quinn. She'd been at the football game with Puck's mom, sister and Beth so she was probably getting her ear talked off currently about how she really should stop eating bacon.

He was pulling out his tangled earphones from his jacket pocket when he was shoulder checked into the locker bank he standing in front of.

"What the fuck?" This hadn't been an issue for months. The last time someone had shoved him into a locker had been towards the end of last year, after being crowned Prom Queen and he'd snapped and beaten the crap out of the unfortunate jock that'd shoved him. No one had dared touch him since.

Karofsky stood a few feet away from him, arms crossed, body tensed and glaring at the skank.

"What the _hell_ is your problem?" His heart was pounding, eyes wide in shock staring at the other boy, "what the fuck was that for?"

The jock stayed silent, still glaring at him, unblinking. The silence was more unnerving than the shove or the odd sense of déjà-vu that came hurtling alongside it. Dark eyes roamed up-and-then-down before Karofsky turned on his heal and stalked off leaving Kurt standing there, admittedly shaken and staring after him.

A gentle hand landing on his shoulder blade snapped him back into reality, jumping, heart in his throat, he whipped around to see Quinn standing there, face full of concern.

"Hey, it's just me." Nodding shakily Kurt glanced back over his shoulder quickly before facing his friend again as she slipped an arm around his waist. "You okay?"

"Hmm, oh yeah, yeah I'm fine." He smiled brightly, sliding his arm around her shoulders, "Just...just spaced out for a little bit that's all. C'mon, let's go see our men play make-believe. And don't give me that look, Puck told me your dates have been going _very _well."

* * *

Blaine was amazing. Kurt was already expecting him to be based on the dress rehearsal he'd snuck in on last week, but he'd somehow gotten better. He'd stood up, clapping, the second the curtain fell at the end with everyone else, letting out a loud whistle when they all came on stage to take a bow.

"Alright lover boy, I'm going to meet Puck so we can drop in on this after-party crap and then relieve his mother of Beth." A quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, "I will see you tomorrow."

"Bye, give Beth a kiss for me."

"I will. Now go get your man."

Kurt smiled crookedly at his best friend tried to wiggle her eyebrows at him, wiggling his fingers in an imitation wave before climbing up onto the stage and ducking behind the curtain.

Blaine was already in his street clothes when he reached the section where the cast could get changed, costume hanging carefully over the back of his seat while he rubbed off the make-up.

Leaning over so he was braced on the back of the chair, chin resting on one of Blaine's shoulders Kurt laughed quietly, patting himself on the back when the other boy shivered. "I never thought I'd go for a guy who wears that much blusher."

Blaine looked up at him through the reflection. "Damn, well, there goes my big seduction plan for tonight."

"There was a seduction plan?"

"Yep, it was very intricate. I was gonna doll myself so you couldn't say no."

"Ahh, so I suppose it's a good thing that I happen to have my very own?"

Blaine's smile widened as he spun around in the chair and tugged Kurt forward for a chaste kiss. "Looks like we were on the same wavelength tonight." Placing another smacking kiss on Kurt's scrunched nose he turned back to remove the last few smudges of colour from his cheeks.

"You had a pretty big crowd tonight; I spotted a very dapper group of boys in blazers earlier...even if that stupid fucking meerkat was with them." He grumbled the last part, eyes narrowing in distaste over Smythe who was still messaging Blaine after the run in on his birthday.

"You know I don't care about him; Sebastian means less than nothing to me, but it was nice to see them." A frown covered the smile that Kurt was used to seeing, to adoring on his boyfriend's face. "They didn't show up, did they?"

"No, baby."

Head dropped forward a bit lower Blaine nodded, resigned to the fact that his parents, mainly his mother, hadn't appeared half way through. "Okay...um, Artie is having some kind of after-party at Breadstix, do you want to go?"

Eyes trained on Blaine Kurt stayed quiet, taking in the slightly forced smile and too-tense spine, "no, not really...I want to go to your house. I have another surprise for you."

It seemed to be the right answer, Blaine's lips twitched a fraction, eyes brightening a little bit and moving up to Kurt's in the mirror, "would this be part of that great seduction plot of yours?"

"Well that would be telling; guess you'll just have to take a risk and find out."

Kurt grabbed Blaine's bag in silence as the other boy cleared up his things, holding out his hand and leading him to his car. Chucking the bag in the back seat Kurt stopped Blaine from getting in, cupping his face and pulling him in to mould his lips around Blaine's bottom one, sucking, biting and licking until he felt the smile against them as Blaine opened up, his own tongue moving to stroke along Kurt's.

Pulling back reluctantly, but staying close enough that their mouths still brushed together lightly, "I love you."

"I love you too," was whispered against his skin before a hand was gripping the back of his beanie-clad-head and damp, kiss-swollen lips were moving against his once more.

* * *

_**Feedback is always appriciated. Of any kind :)  
X**_


	15. Chapter 14

_Been a while but here it is. Sorry it's been a long time coming; I've got my reasons. _  
_And to all my reviewers and readers, I love you all._  
_**warnings for first time anal sex ahead.  
**You've been warned._

* * *

Blaine could feel himself trembling slightly as Kurt pulled into his driveway, both of them eyeing the house; his big, evidently _empty_ house based on the dark windows and missing mother's car. He wasn't entirely sure why he was so nervous; it's not like they hadn't done anything sexual before. Their rapidly developing blow-job skills were a testament to that. But his entire body felt like electric currents were busy burning their way through his blood stream.

Kurt opened his car door for him, head tilted to the side with a faint smile on his lips as he watched Blaine colour lightly, blinking at the suddenly open door when he hadn't even realised Kurt had left the car.

"You know, we can just watch a movie. This is your night; we do whatever you want to do."

He didn't answer until they'd shut his front door, reaching out to tangle his fingers with Kurt's, tugging him to a halt just before he could walk past towards the kitchen -

"I want you."

He kept his eyes open, despite how much his body wanted to shut them and avoid Kurt's reaction, so he didn't miss the way his boyfriend's eyes widened or how his adams apple bobbed when he swallowed.

* * *

By the time he led Kurt up to his room Blaine had managed to shop shaking. His stomach was still twisting, sure, but he figured being nervous was just part of the process of losing one's virginity. Because _fuck..._ he was losing his virginity, what was left of it anyway, to Kurt; the boy he was constantly falling in love with.

Kurt hummed as they shut the door behind them, each toeing off their shoes, and rubbed the back of his neck like he did every time he got the slightest bit nervous. Rolling his eyes Blaine reached out to grab the sides of the grey hoodie hanging loose under the battered leather jacket and tug him forward for a soft kiss.

Kurt's eyes were closed when he pulled back, bottom lip between his teeth but failing to hide the lazy smile.

"Umm, so how do you want to do this?" Blaine winced, closing his eyes as Kurt's blinked open at the question and chuckled quietly tugging Blaine in for another kiss.

"How about we just see what happens for now? Worry about that when we need to." He was still grinning that Cheshire cat grin as he pulled of his jacket, hoodie still inside to reveal that ridiculously tight, _ohsotight_, black shirt, sleeves rolled up to show off the subtle strength in his forearms. "It's _awfully_ warm in here, isn't it babe?"

It was the wiggling eye brows that did it, bell-bar dancing as Kurt's lips twitched with the effort to keep a straight face, blushing faintly Blaine felt the tension that had been building along his spine dissolve. He giggled quietly, forehead resting on Kurt's collarbone as the other boy laughed too, arms draped loosely across his shoulders before they began to gently push and pull him out of the layers covering his upper-body without jostling him. The care Kurt took with him sometimes took his breath away; no one ever expected someone who dressed and acted like Kurt Hummel did to be so gentle. Blaine always knew though, knew from the moment Kurt forced Jacob to apologise to Brittany, stood up to Karofsky (despite the fear he still felt towards the bully) more than once, the way he looked after Quinn and Beth without it ever crossing his mind to do anything else.

"What?" Kurt leant back slightly, still keeping his arms around Blaine's now bare back, his own shirt hanging open to show of his chest and teasing glimpses of dark ink wrapping itself around his hip bone that Blaine daydreams about running his lips over.

Pushing the shirt from Kurt's shoulders so that it fell to a puddle by their feet Blaine shrugged, making a noncommittal sound at the back of his throat.

"Tell me, you were staring."

"Am I not allowed to stare at my boyfriend when he's half naked?"

Kurt rolled his eyes this time, "Baby..."

Letting his hands ghost around the faint definition of muscles, smiling shyly almost as he placed a soft kiss just above the steel bar through Kurt's right nipple Blaine shook his head. "I just... I really love you. I love that I'm the only one who gets to see you like this, that I'm one of the only people you let see past that 'skank' image of yours."

Kurt didn't say anything, staying quiet for so long that Blaine fidgeted, starting to think he should have just kept his mouth shut, when the older boy cupped both sides of his jaw, stroking it tenderly before leaning in slowly and covering his mouth, moving his lips slowly and never deepening it. Hands slowly migrated down tracing along the waistline of Blaine's pants until he squirmed, fighting back a giggle over the ticklish feeling causing Kurt to pull away from the kiss to rest his forehead on Blaine's temple, chuckling as the other boy squirmed.

"You're doing that on purpose!" Still squirming and giggling quietly Blaine wrapped his hands around Kurt's fingers, squeezing gently, still grinning widely as he kissed his way along Kurt's collar bone.

"You'll never prove it."

Blaine grinned widely at the breathy quality of his boyfriend's voice, smirking at the proud feeling curling in his chest because _he did that to Kurt._ He caused aloof and infamous Kurt Hummel to sound breathless, to lower his wall enough to let Blaine in and fall in love. Letting his hands wander down slowly tracing over the tattoos on his arm and hip, circling the shiny silver bar through his right nipple, biting his lip at the shiver that ran through the other boy.

Tilting up slightly to capture Kurt's lips in a soft kiss, Blaine scraped his fingernails lightly down Kurt's chest towards the undone fly of his jeans, pushing and pulling until the offending item had dropped to just above Kurt's knees where the other boy could kick awkwardly trying to keep his mouth fused to Blaine's. When he stumbled as a result Blaine barked out a quiet laugh, shrieking a little bit when Kurt grabbed his sides, tickling the younger boy in retaliation until the laughter died down and he began to shove Blaine's highwaters down his thighs, briefs being pushed down along with them so that his cock caught on the waistline before it sprung up against his stomach.

Kurt wasted no time before he was wrapping his hand around him, stroking up and down slowly. Blaine shuddered, unsure whether to be embarrassed by the whimpers and little _ahs_ and_ uhs_ that would not stop escaping.

Bringing his arms up to wrap around Kurt's shoulders, fingers tangling in hair and tugging, Blaine brushed his lips over any part of Kurt he could find until they landed on damp lips, not really having the wherewithal to do much more than breath against his lips, crying out softly every time Kurt would twist his wrist towards the head, smearing the pre-cum leaking from the tip.

"B-bed." The stuttered command at least proved that Kurt was just as affected as Blaine, the knowledge of what they were going to do becoming clearer. _I'm not going to be a virgin when I wake up tomorrow._ He nodded dumbly, walking Kurt backwards until his calves hit the mattress where Blaine pushed lightly on his stomach until he sat down, hand still loosely jerking Blaine until he reached down to pull his hands away, pushing him back again so start shuffling up towards the pillows as Blaine tugged his boxer-briefs down his hips, mouth watering when Kurt's cock fell onto his stomach.

"You're so beautiful."

"My eyes are up here." A hand reached down to cup his chin, lifting his eyes away from where a bead of pre-cum was forming at the head and up to see Kurt's smug smile, eyes bright and amused.

Blushing, Blaine rubbed the back of his neck, bottom lip between his teeth as he moved to straddle Kurt's stomach, sucking in a breath when he felt the damp head of his boyfriend's cock brush against the crack of his ass _just so._

A rough groan from Kurt let him know he wasn't the only one affected and it was with a slightly cocky smile that he leant down to kiss the other boy, still smiling as Kurt's tongue found it's way into his mouth to flick along his own, his hands coming down from resting behind his head to rest at Blaine's waist and in his hair, keeping him in place. Shifting slightly in order to rest his forearms on either side of Kurt's neck, Blaine shuddered when he felt the tell-tale whisper of the elder boy's cock ghosting across his stomach, so _so_ close to his own.

"I want you."

It was a testament to how far gone Kurt must have been that he didn't even attempt to smirk at that, too busy letting out barely-there high-pitched little moans and gasps as Blaine moved deliberately to grind their hips together, letting out his own slightly louder moans.

"You have me... "

"No, no I want... want _fuck,"_ finding himself incapable of finding the right words to tell Kurt what he wanted, _needed_, Blaine pulled back from where their mouths were still pressed together, an imitated kiss, as they spoke, gripped Kurt's shoulders to roll them over. With Blaine now on his back, knees bracketing Kurt's hips as he stared up at him, an impish grin on his face. "Like _this."_ He squeezed Kurt's shoulders, loving the broad feel of them, the subtle but so _so_ obvious when he was shirtless muscles rolling under the soft skin, "please, like this."

The older boy swallowed, adams apple bobbing as he nodded, leaning down to kiss Blaine's eyelids, cheeks and nose before brushing over his lips, his voice deeper and huskier than normal when he whispered "Anything for you."

* * *

After that it seemed to happen so quickly, both of them too impatient to take their time, choosing instead to all but rip the remaining clothing items off of one another. It wasn't the first time he'd seen his boyfriend naked; since Kurt's birthday they'd made an attempt to be at least half naked with each other at any available moment, but he still felt his stomach drop, mouth go dry at the sight. Not snapping out of it until Kurt pulled back to rest on his knees, fumbling with a bottle of lube.

Sitting up, Blaine took the bottle from the other boy's trembling hands, uncapping it and coating Kurt's fingers himself before raising up to kiss him, tongue slipping inside to caresses the back of his teeth fleetingly before shifting back to lay down again, head further up the bed on the pillows and moving so that his feet were flat on the bed either side of Kurt.

"Always thought _I'd_ be the one this nervous."

Rolling his eyes, Kurt lightly slapped his thigh with his dry hand, "Shut it you, I just... I don't want to hurt you."

This time it was Blaine's turn to roll his eyes. "You won't."

"But - "

"Kurt, I mean this with complete love, but if you don't do something soon I'm going to do it myself."

Kurt grinned, pierced brow rising above his still slightly-anxious eyes, "You know, that's something I _really_ wouldn't mind seeing."

Wrapping his fingers around Kurt's right wrist Blaine guided his hand down between his legs, "Maybe next time."

Everything seemed to blur after that, the only thing he could focus on was the feeling of Kurt's sure, long fingers inside of him, stroking teasingly along his prostate every few strokes until he was a panting, writhing mess of boy with fists gripping the sheets for dear life.

He stayed staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, catching his breath, vaguely registering Kurt moving around, the sound of a wrapper _(thank God I bought condoms the other week)_ being torn open followed by a low groan as his boyfriend presumably slicked himself up. He only came back to himself at the feeling of blunt pressure against his hole, Kurt leaning over him, weight braced against one arm next to Blaine's head while the other helped guide his cock inside.

Kurt slammed his eyes shut as he eased in, bottom lip pulled tight between his teeth. Blaine dug his fingernails into Kurt's shoulders, opting to keep his own eyes open, only blinking every now and then at the slight burn. Only closing them for a moment longer once Kurt bottomed out, revelling in the feeling of being _full,_ of Kurt's hip bones pressed up against his ass, feeling the tremors running along his spine in his fingertips and then deep inside. The burn barely even registered; only long enough to realise that Kurt was trying to keep still so he could be comfortable.

One hand drifted slowly away from the little red, crescent shaped indents in his boyfriend's milky shoulder blade, tracing slowly up his neck to cup the back of his neck, pulling him down forehead-forehead.

Waiting until Kurt's eyes opened, the sea-green seemingly brighter despite how blown his pupils were. Leaning up a fraction to press butterfly kisses along his jaw line, both of them gasping when it caused the barest movement between them. "Move."

Bending down slightly, Kurt buried his face in the crook of Blaine's neck, mouthing along tendons and sensitive spots mapped out in other hours spent curled around each other, hips dragging back inch by inch before jolting back, letting out small whimpers along side the gasps that escaped Blaine.

"This um... _shit, _oh god, this isn't gonna last long."

"I _really _don't... _ah _don't care."

Kurt raised his head, eyes wide and locked on Blaine's as his hips dragged back and forth, just barely teasing towards his prostate. Whimpering Blaine raked his blunt fingernails down Kurt's back, loving the way it made the other boy groan and shiver, muscles twitching under his touch, gripping one ass cheek and the opposite hip bone tightly, urging him to move just -

_"There._ Oh god," a thumb grazed over his lip, pulling at where he'd been gnawing on it without realising, too lost in the sparks and fireworks emanating around his body. Little, sharp-sounding _uhs_ and _ahs_ were slipping forth from between his lips with abandon, head tilted back against the pillows with ever just-slightly-rougher and _dead on target_ thrust form Kurt. _Fuck, they were so doing this again and again and again. Why didn't people do this all the time?_

Kurt's face pressed into his straining neck, licking, kissing and biting at the tendons and sensitive spots along the sweat-damp skin, heightening everything else just that little bit more.

"I'm - Blaine, I," the older boy was shaking, biceps trembling from where he was leaning on his forearms either side of Blaine's head. Keeping one hand on Kurt's ass, _(because how did he not spend more time groping his boyfriend's ass?)_ and trailing one up his spine, revelling in the alternation gravelly and higher-pitched sounding gasps, whimpers and grunts that fell from Kurt's mouth Blaine gripping the back of his hair and slamming their mouths together. They were more breathing in the other rather than kissing, too distracted by the movements of each other's bodies to focus for more than a deep-and-dirty too-much-tongue-but_-ohsogood_ kiss every few minutes.

"Let go," Blaine breathed against Kurt's cherry red, swollen lips, "I, _yes_, I wanna see you... wanna see_, ah! _Wanna see you come, baby."

And he did. Blaine couldn't tear his eyes away from Kurt, forgetting all about his own _close, so close_ impending orgasm as he watched and_ oh Christ felt_ his boyfriend come from being inside him for the first time. Kurt was always stunning when he came, but this? This was different. His eyelids flickered, never able to stay shut but slamming closed with every jerk of his lean sweaty body, hips jumping and still managing to hit that sweet spot inside Blaine without Kurt meaning to now. Whimpers and near silent gasping breaths dragged their way through Kurt, rolling with his body before being released for Blaine to hear.

That along with Kurt's still moving, albeit moving slower and erratic pelvis caused Blaine to snap, hurtling off the edge as the fireworks built, forcing their way out from under his skin making anywhere they touched feel like a livewire, especially when Kurt collapsed on top of him. He felt like he was floating as he came back down, Kurt moving up and down as they both panted, getting their breath back. Slowly Kurt leant up, wincing at the oversensitivity from still being buried in Blaine, dropping a soft, sweet kiss to Blaine's forehead and brushing back his sweaty hair hushing him as he dragged his hips back, hand on the condom. Pulling a face Kurt tied it clumsily before sitting up to dispose of it, wipe Blaine's sticky stomach off before he fell back down next to Blaine, moving to let Blaine roll into his side.

They lay there in silence, heads turned to press chaste, drowsy kisses to anywhere they could reach, smiles never waning.

Eventually they shifted, Blaine hissing a little as a low burning in his ass announced itself, kind of like the feeling he got after working out harder than normal when he hadn't used his muscles in a while.

Kurt moved onto his side to lean up on one elbow, his other hand tangled with one of Blaine's on his stomach. "Are you okay? I didn't... I didn't hurt you or anything did I?"

"No, you were perfect."

Grinning at the no doubt dopey grin on Blaine's face Kurt dropped down to press a kiss to his nose and to each eyelid when he scrunched his face slightly, "I'll be right back." Slipping from the bed Kurt padded into his bathroom.

Biting his lip once Kurt's deliciously still naked ass and back disappeared from view despite the open en suit door, Blaine squeezed his eyes and fists tightly, holding in an undignified squeal because _holy shit his boyfriend loved him, and they'd just had sex and he wasn't a VIRGIN anymore. _Taking a deep breath he relaxed back into the bed with that stupid dazed grin still in place (and to be honest, he didn't even care how it looked because he's just had sex, made love for the first time), just as Kurt came back in, a damp flannel in his hands which he carefully cleaned Blaine up with before tugging the covers up from the foot of the bed and clambering back in, wrapping them both up under the blankets.

"I love you, so much."

Smiling even wider Blaine snuggled further into Kurt's arms, noses rubbing together in an Eskimo kiss, "I love you so much, too."

* * *

The morning Blaine woke to Kurt sprawled out next to him, weak November sunlight streaking through the blinds and painting his skin with a soft golden-white glow.

"You're staring at me."

"Can't help it,"

Sea foam eyes cracked open, a small smile on his lips, as Kurt woke up further, stretching out and raising his pierced brow when he noticed Blaine's eyes running up and down the bare skin on show to the comforter pushed precariously low on his hips, greyscale ink peaking above it on the left side where Blaine's thumb traced back and forth. Following the pattern of the full moon obscured by clouds with stars dotted around ("It was my first tattoo okay? I didn't put any thought into it beyond how it looked...") that he knew was hidden beneath the fabric.

Shifting closer as his eyes adjusted the gradually brightening room Blaine frowned slightly, zeroing in on Kurt's right side as the other boy moved his colourful arm to rub his race. A riot of white and pink lines decorated sections of his boyfriend's side; some were thicker and angrier looking than others, with a large surgical scar that looked far too much like his own dominating the middle. _The car crash_ flashed across his mind.

Objectively, he knew they were there. No one gets as injured as Kurt did, having surgery to fix god only knows what after being in the crash that killed his mother without having scars, but he'd never seen them before. Every time they'd been shirtless together had been shortly followed by some form of sex and Kurt had always pulled a top back on at the very least.

He was fighting the urge to trace them when Kurt must have noticed, "They're ugly, I know." His arm moved across and at first Blaine though he was shielding himself before realising that he'd angled it under the light to show the faint shadowing of raised skin under all the ink. "It was all the glass from the window smashing when the car flipped... metal too. My arm got the brunt of it, part of the door that impaled my mom snapped off and buried itself up by my shoulder," Blaine can see it, the large patch of scar tissue, visible now he knew what he was seeing, underneath the branches and blackbird.

Leaning forward Blaine brushed his lips along Kurt's arm, working his way from just above the elbow where the tattoo began all the way up and down to kiss over his side, focussing on the scars. "They're not ugly. Nothing about you could ever be ugly; they're just proof of how fucking strong you can be when you need to."

Kurt blinked back tears, chuckling roughly before Blaine kissed his lips. "Whatever you say."

"I'll keep saying it until you believe me."

"I'm sure you will... c'mon we should get up and get to school so I can show off my man and brag about how proud I am of you."

Smiling widely, though not as bright as normal; still distracted by the thought of what his boyfriend had gone through in the past, Blaine sat up, swinging a leg over Kurt's lap _we're still naked, holy shit we really had sex last night and slept naked. _"Can I brag about you too?"

Hands on each of his hips, Kurt smirked up at him, "Baby, you can always brag about me."

When Kurt was in the bathroom doing his hair Blaine stole his leather jacket, having worn a grey polo with a black bowtie and dark jeans on purpose, preening when Kurt's eyes brightened at the sight as he moved to straighten the leather that was slightly too baggy on Blaine's shoulders.

And if he noticed how pleased, happy Kurt looked when he caught Blaine spending the whole day proudly telling everyone that asked _where did you get that jacket? _that it was his boyfriend's, then he decided to stay quiet. Grinning when Kurt would squeeze him in a one-armed hug instead.

* * *

"Yo, Bowtie!" Blaine smiled despite himself and turned to see Quinn elbowing her way towards where he stood by his locker.

"Can you call me that if I'm not wearing one?"

"Yes. Because my word is law. Didn't the boys warn you about this?" She slumped sideways against the locker next to his while he replaced his books and grabbed his script for the play. "I have to say, those are quite possibly the cutest and most nauseating pictures I've ever seen." She gestured to the three pictures of Kurt blue-tacked to the metal door. "Seriously, how did you get him to agree to couple-photos that the entire school can easily see?"

Flushing slightly, though much less than he would have before his friendship with the skanks, well...with two of them, began Blaine busied himself with shuffling everything in his messenger bag around. "Didn't really have to ask; he's using photography for his art project so he's been playing around with his mom's old cameras."

Quinn rolled her eyes as he shut the door before linking her arm in his. "Walk me to class? It's next door to your geometry one."

"Well, your word is law so I suppose I have to." He winked playfully; ignoring the odd looks he was still subject too anytime he was seen with either skank.

"Good to see you're learning at least, your boyfriend still hasn't quite grasped that concept just yet."

Blaine smirked and shook his head, content to let Quinn all but drag him towards their destination. He knew for a fact that she had this period with Kurt for art; a lesson that just so happened to be one his boyfriend hated missing lately and on the other side of campus. They reached the doors of the auditorium where he turned to lean against the open doorframe, arms crossed and staring at the skank as she fiddled with one of the many rips in her jeans.

"Have you...noticed anything weird?" At Blaine's raised eyebrow she bit her lip and glanced around, stopping to flip of a curious freshman cheerio, "with Kurt."

"What do you mean?"

"He seems...on edge a lot lately, like ever since the play last week. He was really jumpy when we met up and I thought it was just me sneaking up on him; but he really sucks at trying to hide this kind of thing." She bit her lip, eyes darting around the nearly empty hall to make sure no one was listening, "please tell me I'm not the only one seeing it."

"You're not." Sighing Blaine leant back against the wall. "He'll be fine one minute and then the next... it's like he's trying to shield me from something."

"Same," Quinn bit her lip, frowning as she looked around the empty corridor, "he's acting like... he has told you about last year right?"

"Only what happened in the locker room, I don't know what happened besides that. He doesn't like to talk about it; I can relate. He never pushes me about before Dalton so I sort of... left it." Shifting his bag over to his other shoulder Blaine eyed the closed door to his classroom before linking his arm with one of Q's, "c'mon, I can skip one class, guessing that's what you're doing?"

She nodded, "yeah, Kurt's in art so we don't need to worry about him overhearing us. It's too fucking cold outside but I think the gym is empty."

They stayed silent until they reached the blissfully empty gym, sitting down on the lower benches of the bleachers. "I don't know if I'm over reacting or, or what but I swear he's starting to act like last year and I can't... I _won't_ let that happen again. He's my family, you are too and I don't like feeling like he's in trouble again."

Sliding over Blaine pulled Quinn into his side, smiling faintly over how she thought of him as family already because she was definitely one of his best friends here now, "It's not just you. He's been all... not distant, almost the opposite? Like, he always gets pissed if he finds out I've been slushied or shoved but it's like it's making him angrier... he keeps making sure that Karofsky is still leaving me alone too."

"I swear to God if he's starting on Kurt again I'll fucking end him." Q burrowed herself deeper into his arms, her voice getting thinner as if she was fighting back tears. "Kurt's too damn stubborn to even come to us if he does need help anyway!"

"I know," his boyfriend was stupidly stubborn sometimes, protective too and when those two traits mixed then he would never even consider budging. "You know Kurt though, we need to let him know he can come to us but if he thinks he's protecting either of us, we'll never get him to tell us what's going on."

"Fucking stubborn asshole," Wiping under her eyes Quinn kicked out at the bench below them, "I need you to promise that if you figure out what wrong you'll tell me, I'll do the same but I can't sit back and do nothing."

Nodding Blaine turned, pulling her into his arm properly and hugging her tightly, "I promise."


	16. AN

I know, it's been fucking ages, but shit happens and so forth. I hit a massive block with this after finally sorting out my personal and school life, so it is coming; it's just being slow because I don't want to post a filler chapter that is half arsed and badly written. I'm slowly working through the writers block but it's not always that easy, and I don't ever want to abandon this fic. I am writing it/plotting out the last few chapters and ending I promise.

I'll take this down when I've sent the chapter to Sami and replace it once she's betad it for me.  
Sorry to those of you who still care.


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